Never Let Go
by Obsessive Child
Summary: Stuck in Konoha, all Edward Elric wants is to get back to Amestris. But when he forms unlikely bonds with Itachi Uchiha and his brother, added to that a crazy kid in orange, will Edward want to leave?
1. Arc 1: New Beginnings

A/N: Follows the manga of both with splashes of the animes. That's because, well, it's very very unlikely that Ed would ever jump to the conclusion that he ended up in an alternate universe without outside help, and I'm not planning for anyone in Konoha to figure it out. Also note, I am making most of the compositions up. I seriously don't know what ratio to everything is. Maybe when I'm finished all my chemistry courses, I'll come back and revise, and maybe some of you could help me out? :)

Prologue: The Truth Behind All Truths

_Colonel Mustang,_

_Here's my last report._

_Yeah stop grimacing, I know what you're thinking. Sorry I won't be around to bug you anymore, someone has really got to deflate your ego once in a while. Oh and the 520 cenz? Psht, you're not Fuhrer yet, so don't kid yourself. You have to make the best job of rebuilding Amestris, or I swear I'll come back and haunt you._

_How did I get into this predicament you ask? (Yes, I am that awesome, and you're not as unpredictable as you might think) Well, it happened like this:_

_Right after we defeated The Father and stopped his evil plans, a crazy psycho woman named Dante tried to off me and Al. Anyways, she kidnapped Rose so we really had no choice but to follow, and get this, she used Alchemy! You know how we all thought Alchemy couldn't be used after The Father was killed because the energy we got from transmutations came from him? Well, I found out that's partially true but there is more to it. But more on that later._

_Anyways, it was a good thing I learned the Xing way of Alkahestry or else we would have been toast. Even if I wasn't that good at it, I did manage to put up something of a fight. Still, Dante played dirty, and used Rose's newborn babe to summon the Gate. Confused? Yeah, we were too. I think she was meant to be one of The Father's sacrifices, thank goodness for him she never learned of his betrayal. So then, she told us this long sob story about how Hohenhiem had a relationship with her then ditched her. Ha, sounds like that bastard alright. But apparently, he only left after their child died, so Dante tried to resurrect the child and ended up losing the part that would allow her to have children again. The Father found out, but thought that Dante was a few centuries too early, so gave her a few philosopher's stones in able for her to keep living until the time she was needed. Anyways, you know The Father died, but Dante still managed to keep her philosopher's stones. She used those as the energy source for Alchemy._

_So, my soul and mind were sucked through the gate, and I ended up occupying another body. There, I found out that due to the fact that I am Hohenhiem's son, my live was considerably longer and I was much like a philosopher's stone with only one soul. Because of the fact that father was the philosopher's stone, and because of the fact that I had healed myself using my own life energy but felt no ill effects, I have developed a hypothesis. As the sons of Hohenhiem, we have inherited part of his longevity without additional souls, simply because our souls are the combined sons of all the souls within father's body. That is why, I am still able to perform Alchemy even when The Father died, even though the source of Amestris's alchemy is his body. I was using my own source. Using Alchemy, I was able to get back to my regular body, but by that time Al was already gone. You know how his soul is connected to mine right? Well, without me there to anchor him any longer, he's… dead._

_I can't have that._

_Especially since it's all my fault. Haha, confessing on paper is so not my thing, but I guess impending death does a lot to a person. Actually, I'm feeling pretty calm right now. Weird, huh? Maybe it's because I feel like I'm finally fixing my mistakes. I wonder if this was how father felt when he went off to face The Father._

_Yeah… I really do need to fix this. Al didn't deserve to have his soul affixed to a piece of armour, and certainly didn't deserve death. I was the one who persuaded him to try to transmute mom back, because I thought I was _such_ a genius. Some idiot I was then, huh? I know you don't approve of my methods, but Al is my brother, and I can't leave him when he hasn't really had a chance to _live_. I've already had these past four years, the best four years of my life (despite so many narrow escapes with death). I couldn't live right, if I knew that I could only live at the expense of Al. So… don't tell him this alright? I'm trusting you. _

_Tell him that… I managed to bring him back using Dante's philosopher's stone, which depleted half its power. Dante was furious, and fought with me, in which we both ended up severely injuring the other. For my last moments, I decided to write a letter, which isn't that unreasonable is it? When you guys came in (yes I know you're efficient enough to get here before Al wakes up), the carnage was disgusting so you burned it. It was also a last request of mine from this letter. Don't worry, I'll write in some details in Al's letter, so he'll believe you. _

_Again, I can't believe I'm saying this but… Thank you._

_Hey, hey, while I'm on the thanking bank already, I might as well tell you the other things I'm grateful for. Yeesh, you don't have to get smug, it's just that I'm on death's door and I feel like if I don't do some nice deeds of say, thanking someone for deeds anyone else would have done, I'd have a miserable death. So yeah Colonel, taking us in and allowing me to become a State Alchemist, then not hindering us at all, was pretty cool. Then, that whole episode with Scar and later the Fuhrer… I can't believe I'm saying this but, I do consider you one of the greatest friends anyone could have._

_Ugh, that sounded so sentimental. I'd imagine you're feeling equally as disgusted, and that's the only thing keeping me going right now. Don't you dare blame yourself for this Mustang, or else I'll tell Riza to shoot you in my letter to her. Like I said, you have to become Fuhrer, because that's the only way Amestris will be the way I envisioned it. You can't do a good job of it if you're mourning over the dead._

_I'll say hi to Hughes for you on the other side. I'm sure he's proud of where you are._

_Don't get too cocky,_

_~Edward Elric, The Fullmetal Alchemist_

_p.s. Ask Riza out for me, since I won't be able to._

* * *

_Dear Alphonse,_

_Yeah, yeah Al, I know it sounds stuffy of me to say 'Alphonse' and all, but since this is my last letter and all, I thought I'd make it at least a _bit_ formal. You know, just in case you forget your name when you're old and grey, haha._

_And you _are_ going to become old and grey Al, because I'm not permitting you to try to bring me back. Yes, I performed perfect human transmutation (if you're reading this that is), but that is only because of one special circumstance. I used the philosopher's stone. No, I admit, I'm not okay with it, but the people within the stone agreed. After all, it was either this or get used by Dante to prolong her overextended life._

_Unfortunately, Dante wasn't so amused, and here I am dying as a consequence of that. Don't worry, dying isn't all bad. I already died once, anyways. It's a nice world, the other side. I saw father there you know. (Yes, I am willing to call him father this once, perhaps it's because of my impending death?) I must admit, he also redeemed himself somewhat by taking on The Father. Anyway, Hohenheim's still alive and well on the other side of the gate, though I think he's mortal now._

_But you must know Al, that the only reason that I can die so calmly is because I know at least I succeeded. You're back, with a real body. You can do everything you want to do now, including eating Gracia's homemade apple pie. In fact, you have to try everything that we didn't do as kids, as a memento to me! I don't exactly want to die, but as long as I know you're still alive, death doesn't seem so bad. So whatever you do, you have to live a long and happy life, or else it'll be an insult to my memory. This means no trying to bring me back, though of course now it'd be impossible. Alchemy after all, no longer exists in Amestris, and I know you wouldn't create a philosopher's stone. _

_It's been lots of fun these past years, don't you agree? Ha great, now I sound like an old geezer. Still, I'm a bit sad that I can't protect you anymore from Armstrong's hugs of doom. Actually, if I recall correctly you actually enjoyed it… Ugh, promise me you won't get big and muscular okay? I'm having waking nightmares right now just thinking about it._

_I'm also sorry that I can't protect you from that psycho chick Mei Chan, even though she was the one who taught me Alkahestry. It was downright freaky when she left for her homeland, but promised to come back to marry you. Man she is crazy, along with Ling and the rest. But you know, if you come to fall in love with her or whatever, I will give you my blessings, and won't fault you in the least… I'll just question your taste. _

_Haha, well really, that's all. You are the best brother anyone could ever hope to have, and have saved my butt more times than I can count. And trust me, I can count higher than most people. Even though at times our lives sucked, I'm glad we went through everything. It used to be just the two of us, but now we've developed relations with others too. I for instance, will never understand your friendship with Mei, just as you don't understand my willingness to follow Greed. It shows that we can live without eachother Al, so I give you my blessings to continue with your life, and even do some things that I may not approve. _

_Love,_

_ ~Ed_

_p.s. You'd better take care of Winry Al, 'cause brother or not if you neglect her I'm going to come back to haunt you!_

_p.p.s And 'doing something things I may not approve' does NOT include getting drunk! If you get drunk… I'll ask Mustang to resurrect me so I can beat the stuffing out of you!_

* * *

Chapter 1- The Red Eyed Alchemist

The sound of a firecracker split the air, and Edward Elric landed flat on his back, his ears ringing. His body tingled with pain and stiffness, and the hard ground on which he had landed wasn't helping matters.

The newly turned sixteen year old groaned and closed his eyes in defeat, not even bothering to struggle to his feet. He had no idea why he was still feeling things. Wasn't all sensation supposed to disappear when somebody died? It figured that the books on death would be all wrong.

Mustang would definitely have to update the library when he was made Fuhrer.

Edward snorted at the thought, and rolled over to his side, his eyes still closed. The scent of fresh grass assaulted his nostrils, making him wriggle his nose slightly in surprise. He hadn't expected the afterlife to smell exactly like Ames—

Wait just a moment.

It couldn't be… that he wasn't actually dead?

Edward suddenly felt his breath hitch, fearing that he hadn't succeeded. He didn't even want to _think_ that he hadn't. Golden eyes snapped open, the sudden need to see he was still within the underground temple welling up inside him.

And just as quickly as he had opened his eyes, Edward had to squeeze them shut again. Damn, the sun was bright.

Well, at least that meant he wasn't in the temple anymore. Perhaps he was back on the other side of the gate? Laying an arm over his eyes to filter the sunlight until his eyes adjusted, Edward tried opening his eyes again… And for the second time in thirty seconds, Edward came to a realization that shook his world.

The arm that he had laid across his eyes, his right arm, it didn't feel right.

Forcing his eyes fully open and ignoring his blurry vision, Edward lifted his arm slightly above his head and zeroed in on it. His breath came up short.

Flesh… granted, his arm was pale and scrawny looking, but it was flesh all the same. He clenched and unclenched his fist, a feeling of awe washing over him as for the first time in five years, he felt living flesh with his right arm again.

Impossible. How…?

Sitting up suddenly, Edward grasped the black material on his left leg and pulled, revealing not a metal limb, but a normal, completely normal leg. For a moment, the mind of the genius came up blank.

It didn't _seem_ possible of course, that something he had searched for so long was now finally within his grasp. He hadn't sacrificed anything for it- in fact he had intended to die. Edward did not understand how he could have possibly gotten his original limbs back, especially since… especially since…

Especially since his alternate self had died.

Edward hadn't been entirely truthful in either of his letters; he didn't just 'discover' his longevity, he had been forced to draw the conclusion. At the battle at the North Wall, Edward had healed himself using his own life energy, and had suffered no ill effects. It was only reasonable to assume that his alternate self would be the same way. It hadn't happened that way. Possibly because his alternate self _wasn't_ the son of Hohenheim -the philosopher's stone-, _that_ _Edward_ hadn't survived the transmutation. Edward Elric had felt the boy's life leave, as he himself left the body. It was Edward himself, had caused the boy to die by using Alchemy.

Edward shook his head, clearing it of the depressing thoughts. No, no, he couldn't think that way, not now. He needed to check if Al was okay. Or… perhaps Edward was stuck on the other side again?

The golden eyed boy surveyed his surroundings. Well wherever he was, he certainly wasn't underground anymore. Large -and tall, Edward sourly noted- trees surrounded him, somehow still green despite the scorching sun.

The genius alchemist let out a breath, finally realizing exactly how hot it was now that his attention was brought to it. He had been lying in this clearing for who knows how long, and he was getting baked. If he still had his automail, he'd be fried by now. Edward looked again towards the trees, hoping to find a particularly nice one where he could sit at the base of.

It was then that Edward saw him. And he wondered how he had missed the guy before. A boy no older than 12 stood at the edge of the clearing, his red eyes darting back and forth as if searching for something. He wore a really weird cloak with a huge collar, and his features reminded Edward of the people from Xing. He actually looked quite professional, and Edward wondered if the boy were a prince of some sort. Finally, his gaze landed on Edward, "Have you seen anything unusual, civilian?"

Civilian? Edward bristled. Yeah, he didn't exactly like the military, but being called a civilian when he had held the title of Major for over four years was a huge insult. Especially since it came from a snot nosed kid.

"Who you calling civilian, punk?" Edward demanded, his earlier kind thoughts about the stranger disappearing more quickly than his morning breakfast had. "You shouldn't insult your superiors."

The kid narrowed his red eyes, which if Edward were to admit, were kind of freaky. "Superiors? Who? You? You look like you're hardly eight years old yourself."

"Who you calling a lousy little pipsqueak?" Edward demanded, jumping to his feet. Uh-oh, bad move. It looked like using two leg made of flesh instead of one made of metal needed getting used to. A lot like when he had gotten his automail changed to the lighter kind at the Northern Border, actually.

Edward wobbled, feeling uncoordinated and tumbled to the ground again. The blond growled, struggling to get up again. Damn, why was this so difficult? It should have been easier to walk around with a normal leg, not harder!

"I'm not going to argue with a kid who can't even get up." The boy stated coolly, "How old are you? 10? You should go home."

"Stop calling me a kid!" Edward demanded, narrowing his eyes. He wasn't even that short anymore, Winry admitted it. He swore he looked 16, how could he possibly be mistaken for 10? That arrogant red eyed child, was he trying to rile Edward up? Why that little…!

Taking a deep breath, Edward told himself to calm down. He bowed his head, hoping that by taking away the sight of the child, he could finally compose himself.

This was just a child here, he couldn't possibly go beating up a child. Maybe bruise him a little but Edward certainly could kill him, no matter how much he was tempted to. He clapped his hands together, intending to teach the kid a lesson… And then he noticed it.

Edward stared. And stared.

Impossible. That was the only word for it. Somehow, somehow his clothes looked too big for him, and the arms he was seeing were too short to be his own. He hadn't noticed it before because he'd been too occupied with the fact that he had all his limbs, but now… Edward stretched out his arm again, and this time looked closely at his hand. It wasn't the same long, elegant fingers he was used to, but the short, pudgy digits of a 10 year old. Slowly, Edward brought his hands to his face, feeling the baby fat which he had thought long burned away. Impossible.

Except it couldn't be, since it was happening. Edward's mind whirled, trying to hypothesize, think up of _some_ reason why this was happening. He had deaged, but _how_? And then, he realized it. His right arm, his left leg… really there should have been no way to get those back. The only way for Edward to have them was for… well, for him to be in the body he had _before_ he performed Human Transmutation.

He felt himself laughing uncontrollably, "What date is it?"

"October 11th," The kid replied, a flash of something -concern, perhaps- crossed his face. "Are you alright?"

"None of your business," Edward replied stiffly, not feeling in the mood to deal with some random kid. October 11th, of course: the day that he had tried human transmutation, the day that he had gotten his limbs stolen from him. That would make him… 11 years old. Now here was the question, was his life still ridiculously long, or was he completely normal now? It was a really weird circumstance, after all. He needed to test it.

Taking a deep breath, Edward clapped his hand together, allowing simple information to flow through his brain. 44% silicon, 8% calcium, 10% carbon… comprehension, deconstruction, reconstruction… 62% silicon, 5% calcium, 18% carbon…

Edward slammed his hands into the ground, willing for the atoms to break apart and re-bond to his will. The air around him cackled, flashing blue from the energy of the reaction.

The youngest major in Amestris looked down, feeling no ill effects. A brand new hole was in front of him, and in the very center was a miniature metal replica of Granny's house in Resembol. He could still do alchemy, and do it well. He didn't know whether to feel anxious or relieved about that.

Suddenly, Edward felt the cool edge of a sharp metal knife pressed to the back of his throat.

"Who are you?" A murderous voice hissed, and Edward distantly recognized it as the boy's from earlier. But it sounded different somehow, as if suddenly a light had been switched on, or perhaps switched off in this case. Edward shivered. "I had thought you were just a normal civilian, since I didn't sense any chakra from you, but the thing you just did… you were the alien chakra signature I sensed weren't you? You are coming back to Konoha with me."

Edward swore. Damn it, damn it, damn it, he should have known not to underestimate Xing folk. Ran Fan after all, would have kicked his ass if he hadn't found her weakness. Hm, her weakness… "Are you a ninja then?"

"Affirmative."

Good, that meant that this kid probably had the same weakness Ran Fan did, and it explained the whole 'sensing' thing. Edward himself, was learning how to sense people, though it wasn't nearly as developed as Mei Chan's. With the advantage of alchemy, Edward was sure he could defeat this guy. The question was, if this boy was a rentanjutsu (alkehestry) user too…

"Rentan… jutsu?" The boy's voice was slightly startled, but it quickly returned to its earlier, authoritative voice. "What is that?"

Oops, had he thought the last bit out loud? Oh well, at least it gave Edward the advantage… wait, how could a civilian from Xing _not_ know about alkehestry? Edward's mind felt like it was going a thousand miles per minute.

Could it be possible that this was actually the alternate version of Xing? Where alkehestry died out much like Alchemy did? Yeah… that made sense. Well, now that he'd found out that much, there was really no need to continue the conversation. He wasn't going to follow the aggressive boy to wherever the heck Konoha was, so it really was time to make an exit.

Slowly, Edward brought his hands together…

"Don't you dare," The boy commanded coldly, "Or else I'll cut your arms off."

Edward froze. He really didn't want his arms cut off, especially when he had just gotten one of them back. But how had this guy known what Edward was planning to do, if the ninja didn't know about alkehestry? There was no way, that he'd know what alchemy did.

Oh wait a minute, duh! Edward had just performed alchemy in front of the dude, so of course the boy would know! The blond could have wacked himself for being so stupid. Of course, there was something else the boy didn't know about.

He let his arms drop again, accidently brushing the fabric of the boy's cloak. Silk… well Organza if he wanted to be specific. Damn… this guy was rich. Edward himself, was only wearing cotton, because he hadn't wanted to spoil expensive cloth for travelling. But this boy…

"Who are you?" Edward asked, clenching his fists so tightly that he drew blood, "Can you really decide whether to disfigure others? Are you that influential, or is this place that messed up?"

"Do not insult Konoha," The boy said fiercely, then seemed to add the next part as an afterthought. "Please. We do not know what grievance we have given you, but I assure you that it was not for a casual reason. I am Itachi Uchiha."

Huh, that was rather extensive vocabulary for a 12 year old. Coupled with Uchiha's ninja skills, Edward suddenly felt sure he was dealing with a prodigy here. Edward played with his shirt, feeling nervous. What if this didn't work? No, no, he couldn't think about that. Lithium, sodium, carbon… "Well good for you, I'm not here to try to destroy your property or anything. I'm just a lost traveller, so can't you just let me go?"

"I am sorry, I am not authorized to release suspicious figures. I- ugh!" The short dagger clattered to the ground, and Edward took the opportunity to quickly slip out from boy's hold. He took a moment to relish the look of genuine shook on the boy's face, but even he had to wince at the large puncture wound on the boy's right thigh. Tapping the rough transmutation circle he had created on his belt, the short knife protruding from Edward's waste quickly melted back into its original leather form.

The boy didn't seem to be paying attention to him, or at least, not his words. "How did you… one handed justsu? Or was that a seal? How come I didn't _see_…"

Edward held up his hands, giving the boy a pitying look. That wound must really hurt. Edward hadn't meant to hurt the boy quite that much, but transmutations were tricky when it was something as complicated as making leather into steel. They hardly shared any of the same elements. "Look, I'm really sorry, but I'm not going to a place hostile to me. There's something I need to do any-"

He didn't get to finish, because it was then that the boy came flying at him again, looking for all purposes like he was intending to fight. Edward growled, so the boy was one of _those_ types huh? The type who just didn't get it unless they were beaten to a pulp?

Edward clapped his hands together, and slammed them onto the ground. Spikes of rock shot up from the earth, but this time the boy seemed like he was prepared for Edward's alchemy. The boy's movements quickened, to such a speed that Edward had a hard time seeing the boy let alone attacking him.

The blond inwardly sighed; there was really no help for it he supposed. He slammed his hands together again, this time manipulating the air particles around him. He had planned to save this trick for the Colonel, especially since it was Roy who taught air manipulation to him. Edward concentrated, and jumped to the left, just as the other boy blurred beside him, crushing the ground where Edward had been seconds before. Just as he landed, the boy brought his hands together too, though he performed some weird movements with his hands. Suddenly, Edward got a very bad feeling about this.

Following instinct more than anything else, Edward quickly formed another transmutation circle, and forced the ground to rise. And just in time too, because Edward suddenly felt an all too familiar heat blast into the front of the earth wall.

Streak of flame blew past, burning the grass where Edward's wall did not protect. Not wasting this opportunity, Edward slammed his hands into the column of earth once again, this time concentrating on quite a different equation. He blasted the jets of heated rock towards the red eyed boy, not even caring if the molten stone burned the boy this time. Edward had to focus on winning, otherwise he had a feeling he wouldn't even be getting out of this alive.

The boy didn't give Edward any reprieve though. A second after Edward had performed his transmutation, three four sided knives came hurling at Edward faster than he could react. A burning pain lanced up Edward's newly reclaimed right arm, and he had to grit his teeth to keep from crying out in pain. Knowing he couldn't match the boy in speed, Edward clapped his hands together again, changing the concentration of the air particles so he could move through them with less resistance. It didn't exactly give him more speed per say, but to the other boy it would make no difference. Less air resistance equalled being able to move faster than someone who was in a higher concentration of 'hard' air.

Red-Eyes attacked again, and Edward was forced to constantly move to avoid those attacks, not able to retaliate in any way. That was the other reason Edward didn't want to do this technique- it was a pain.

Every second, Edward had to change the concentration of the air particles around him, something that was an ongoing part of a transmutation and couldn't be left alone. Also, it was complicated, and Edward just knew he'd have a headache by the end of this. If he survived, that is. He was feeling dizzy from the blood loss two of the knives had caused, and he didn't know if he could last much longer, especially with his constant strain on both his brain and his muscles. The only thing gratifying about it was, the other boy couldn't seem to keep up.

Still, Edward couldn't get close to the boy, let alone hit him. Air manipulation was hard enough as it was, but getting into close range with another moving person was area that Edward hadn't even touched on.

Obviously, the air concentration would be different, depending on how fast the person was moving, and Edward had neither the time nor energy to calculate that. If he were to get close to the red eyed boy, Edward's transmutation would be shot, and he'd become easy prey. So all Edward could do was run in circles around the clearing, making sure that Red-Eyes was a good distance away from him.

He just had to wait… until the boy gave him another chance.

As if reading his thoughts, the boy smiled sinisterly. Well okay, it probably wasn't meant to be sinister, but on that pale face and with those red eyes Edward thought the smile was very sinister indeed. He didn't think anyone could disagree with him. "I finally understand your power now. You can't move this fast and perform a jutsu at the same time. Then, I won't give you enough time to perform any technique."

Edward stumbled, falling face first to the ground. He couldn't believe that the boy had figured it out already! Uchiha didn't waste any time, and flew towards Edward.

Edward felt a grin stretch across his lips, relieved beyond reason that Uchiha hadn't just blasted him with that fire thing. The trap was sprung. His hands already spread out onto the groves he had made while running, Edward activated the gigantic transmutation circle.

The air cackled with blue lightning, and the clearing within the forest glowed red. The boy stopped his dash, glancing down in alarm. The tomes within his red eyes were swirling madly, as if somehow they could give him the answer.

Edward slowly got up, walking towards the boy warily.

The Uchiha shouldn't be able to move, considering Edward had just transmuted his silken outfit to one of the heaviest material on earth. Tch, Organza, Edward sure loved that material. Okay, so the transmutation was anti-climatic, but it served its purpose. The annoying boy couldn't move, and Edward could finally relax…

Except that the boy did move. Uchiha shouldn't have been able to, yet he was slowly bringing his arms together and making weird signs with his hands again. For a moment, Edward just stood, stunned. Even though Edward was used to heavy automail, if he were wearing the Uchiha's clothes right now even Edward would not be able to move a muscle. Impossible.

A surge of water appeared at the ground at the Uchiha's feet, blasting towards Edward. Uchiha performed more handseals, and suddenly lightning was added to the gushing sea. Golden eyes widened; oh no, this was not good. With hardly any time to react, Edward fell back to his most knowledgeable area of transmutation, and slammed his hands onto the earth.

Water gushed down into the crevice Edward had made, a huge crack suddenly between him and Uchiha. The displaced earth rose around Uchiha, binding him all the more.

Edward wiped his brow, amazed he had avoided that one. He glanced at Uchiha who was on the other side of the split, and had to smile grimly as the red eyed boy seemed to struggle to move. So Uchiha wasn't completely unaffected, then.

"How?" Uchiha asked, his red eyes boring into Edward's golden ones, "The seal is destroyed completely, yet this curse remains."

Oh? So was alchemy for Uchiha a bit different? Edward let out a sigh of relief, plopping down and finally resting his tired legs. But now that he was resting… the pain caught up with him.

Scrunching up his face, Edward turned his head to his right arm, where the odd knife like thing was still embedded. Ripping off a piece from his favourite cloak, Edward quickly pulled out the knife and made a makeshift bandage. It wasn't the best, but he wanted to check out Uchiha first.

Edward looked to the other boy, and had to wince. Ah, his molten rocks had done more than he had wanted them to. Uchiha was covered in burn marks, and the bandage on his leg from Edward's stab wound was dripping blood. Still, the boy didn't seem to notice his injuries, and only looked like he was focused on breaking Edward's transmutation.

Edward sighed, he truly hadn't wanted to hurt the kid. Badly, anyway. But Uchiha was as good as any Homuculus, even better than some! It was Edward's long engrained instinct kicking in that caused him to act the way he did, but it was still no excuse. Edward jumped over to the other side, walking until he was right in front of Uchiha, "How old are you?"

"No older than you are, probably," The red eyed boy said warily, "If you ever see my brother, Sasuke Uchiha, please tell him that he is more important to me than even Konoha. Surely, you can understand that."

Ha… could he ever. But… "Why are you telling me this? It's not like you're going to die or anything right? Oh crap, are your injuries that serious? Feh, I suppose I'll have to heal you then. I can't have somebody's death on my conscious."

"What? Are you not going to kill me?"

Not even dignifying that with an answer, Edward plopped down, ignoring his throbbing head. Remembering Mai Chan's lessons, Edward concentrated on the earth, willing himself to sense the earth's veins. He needed that spiritual, natural energy, if he could ever hope to heal the ninja. After all, alchemy couldn't be used for medical purposes. He needed alkehestry.

And he felt nothing.

Well, not nothing exactly, he felt something from in front of him, where he had trapped the red eyed boy. What…?

Then Edward finally understood. It wasn't that alkehestry died out in this alternate world, it was that it never existed. Instead, it had taken form inside of people, the earth's energy spreading out within them as if they were the focal point for power.

To access alkehestry, one would have to create a circle on _people_. That was why the guy could move insanely fast while doing what seemed like alchemy. Uchiha was a ninja, so his body was more trained than Edward's, and the boy was an alkehestrest, which meant he could perform transmutation.

Edward glanced up, trying to sense where the earth's veins connected to the kid. It was his mistake. As soon as their eyes met, Edward suddenly felt as if he were wearing lead, and not the Uchiha. His earlier exhaustion seemed to completely catch up with him, and Edward felt his eyes droop in sleepiness.

"I am sorry," Uchiha's voice was soft, and somehow comforting in the rising blackness. "You have honourable intentions, but as a ninja I cannot simply let you go. Do not worry, I am sure the Lord Hokage will not hinder you, he is the kindest person I have ever met."

With those last, confusing words as company, Edward's grip on consciousness faded and he slipped into the all encompassing darkness.

* * *

A/n: Sorry for the 1500 word fight scene, if you aren't into that. Actually, I'm not either, but since I don't have pretty pictures to flash, this was the only way I could show the equality between Ed's and Itachi's skills. And yes, Itachi won in the end, using genjutsu. ^^


	2. Two

Chapter 2- Genius

Hiruzen Sarutobi couldn't stop tapping his pen, bored out of his mind. Chewing his pipe thoughtfully, the Hokage once again tried to tackle the paperwork. It wasn't working. It was just too -dare he say it- _boring_. The Sandaime sighed; perhaps Naruto was rubbing off on him. Peeking at his closed drawer, Hiruzen wondered again if it would _really_ be wrong to read one of his student's books. It was for… academic reasons after all, and no one would see…

Just then, the sound of knocking reverberated around the room, causing Hiruzen to almost jump out of his chair. Breathing a sigh of relief that he hadn't actually taken a book out, the Sandaime Hokage cleared his throat and straightened his hat. Well, perhaps whatever this report brought would relieve his boredom. "Please, come in."

A second later the door swung open to reveal a bloodied and bruised Itachi in his regular civilian clothes.

The mirth drained out Hiruzen, his every nerve switching to his village protection mode. If anyone could injure Itachi Uchiha so easily, and cause the prodigy to report to the Hokage directly instead of first tending to his wounds, then it was serious indeed. Motioning for the young genius to sit, the Sandaime leaned forwards with an expectant expression on his face.

"I was outside training," Itachi reported in, not exactly a monotone, but not exactly a voice filled with inflections either. "When I felt an strange chakra disturbance in the northern woods-"

Hiruzen waved a hand, cutting Itachi off. He too, had felt the disturbance, "I've sent Rooster and Hare to investigate already. They should be back soon… so you may go visit the hospital."

Hiruzen didn't even give any attention to the thought that they might be dead. It was after all, very unlikely that two seasoned ANBU would be killed whereas one newbie 11 year old would survive, no matter how talented Itachi was. The Hokage had noticed the Uchiha's strain when he was reporting, and smelt the excess amount of blood. Itachi needed to go to a hospital, and the Hokage did not want to lose one of his most gifted ninjas to something that could very easily be avoided.

"Hokage-sama," Itachi ploughed on determinedly, causing Hiruzen to raise a brow at the defiance, "I think it would be best if I reported this matter. Rooster and Hare have already given me their acquiescence, and are currently guarding the one who caused the odd chakra release. If I may continue?"

Hiruzen nodded, now feeling curious. Well he supposed that whoever was willing to defy the Hokage, had a good reason to. Besides, the more time they spent arguing the more time Itachi would have to stay here instead of a hospital.

Itachi took a shallow breath, "I went to investigate the disturbance, turning on my Sharingan so that I did not miss anything. I know that I was not on duty, but I also knew the time it took to mobilize the ANBU, and was afraid that anything that could cause such a large reaction would be gone by the time the ANBU arrived."

The Sandaime nodded, not in the least bit offended. It was in his opinion after all, that a good ninja also knew when to take the imitative as well as follow orders. What Itachi did in the Hokage's opinion, was the best solution.

Itachi seemed to smile slightly at the Hokage's approval, his tension easing slightly. "When I arrived at the scene, I saw nothing unusual except a civilian boy no older than 12 years sitting in the middle of the woods. He was wearing clothes too big for him, and a red cloak with a symbol of a cross with a snake twined around it. He was blond, pale, had golden eyes, and was not mentioned in any of the bingo books as far as I could tell. Since I sensed no chakra signature from him, I considered him to be no threat. It was my mistake."

Now Hiruzen felt his curiosity double. A civilian who could be considered a threat? And a child prodigy to boot too, if such a kid could make Itachi Uchiha wary. While kid geniuses were not an oddity to the ninja society, one that was up to Itachi's calibre was exceedingly rare.

"We exchanged a short conversation," Itachi continued, his face blank, "Where he seemed to take offense at being called a 'civilian' and 'short'. When I was just about to leave, he performed some strange jutsu to create a miniature figurine from the ground. That is when I realized that he was the most likely suspect for the strange chakra signature, even though I felt nothing from him when he performed the jutsu. I went behind him with a kunai at his throat, and he did not even seem to notice until a second later. I was sure that he did not have the instincts or speed of a ninja. Again, my mistake."

Well that was just confusing. It made no sense at all, none. Someone who didn't even notice Itachi, but was offended by being called a civilian? And short…? Well, if Hiruzen were to admit, that part was just funny. And why in the world would the golden eyed boy give himself away by performing a jutsu, and to create a toy no less? This unknown boy was intriguing Hiruzen, and the Hokage suddenly felt a desire to meet the mysterious boy. He wanted to see what type of person this walking contradiction was.

"I asked him to come back to Konoha with me, but he seemed against it. Suddenly, a blade erupted from his belt, startling me. I am ashamed to admit this, but I dropped my kunai, and moving faster than I thought possible, he escaped my grip. I shot a wind jutsu after him, but he brought up a wall of earth to block it. Then, molten rock exploded from his creation, which created my burn marks. I chased him afterwards. At first, he seemed to be moving oddly, as if he were drunk or poisoned, despite his speed. Then, he seemed to get accustomed to his own movements, and his coordination levels rose greatly. Also, his handseals were done so fast even I could not see them."

Hiruzen was growing more and more worried by this description. Someone who could make jutsus with handseals faster than Itachi himself, could not be sensed, and was a great adaptor… if such a person were against Konoha they would be in trouble. But Itachi had said Rooster and Hare were guarding the boy hadn't he? So they weren't in trouble yet at least.

"It was then that I figured out he couldn't use his speed and attack with jutsus at the same time, and I used that to my advantage. It was like his abnormal speed was a jutsu of his. However, it seemed that was also part of his plan, for soon he activated a seal he had been painstakingly drawing as he ran around. It turned my clothes to lead, and made it hard to move but not impossible. I sent a water technique mixed with lightning at him, but he avoided by creating a crevice in the ground. However the purpose was done and it destroyed the seal… but the seal did not lift. Then, he looked at me and I had a chance to catch him in genjutsu. However, I wanted to find out how he could still keep the function of the seal active though it was clearly destroyed. He came over to me, and informed me that he would not harm me, but instead heal me. Eventually, I used a genjutsu on him so I could bring him back, and that's when Rooster and Hare arrived. They took the boy to the lowest level of the Konoha prisons. I decided to give you the report myself, since I was actually at the scene and could actually answer any questions you have."

Many questions he did have indeed, but he could always wait, especially now that the prisoner was secure. He noted that Itachi was careful not to put any of his own opinions within his report, which although was Itachi-like, was still very interesting. Did the young genius feel unsure about this stranger? Obviously, Itachi wanted the Hoakge to form his own opinions before diverging his, and therefore influencing Hiruzen. Very well, Hiruzen would oblige the boy. But first…"First Itachi, go to the hospital, and at least get temporary treatment for your wounds. Come meet me here in two hours time, I will ask you the appropriate questions then."

Itachi hesitated, but bowed politely. Most probably, he felt that he defied the Hokage enough today. "Yes, Hokage-sama."

In a moment, he was gone. The Sandaime sighed, leaning back on his chair. What a day it was. When he had first felt the chakra disturbance, he had thought nothing much of it -a jounin creating a new jutsu perhaps- but had sent two ANBU guards to investigate just in case. Now… now Hiruzen didn't know what to think. Was the blond boy a threat? He certainly seemed to be, but all the same, if he were trying to do something to Konoha, why get captured so easily?

The Hokage suddenly sat up, alarmed. What if the boy had meant to be captured? It certainly seemed unlikely, with the way he had acted, but it was more reasonable than any other conclusion the Hokage could make. If that was the case, then… then… Hiruzen needed to talk to the boy himself, to discern whether or not he was a threat. Briefly, Hiruzen considered allowing Ibiki to interrogate the boy, but quickly discarded that thought. No, the boy was less than 12 if Itachi's estimate was correct, there was no way Hiruzen could throw Ibiki at the child if there was even the slightest chance he was innocent. No, the only way to determine if the boy was a threat was for Hiruzen to go visit the blond himself.

Hiruzen shot up from his seat, grabbing his outdoors cloak. Then, he let out a deep breath, allowing his whole posture to relax. After all, the Hokage couldn't be seen as even slightly panicked. Opening the door to the Hokage office, the Sandaime left his mountain of papers and slowly made his way to the Konoha prison.

"Hokage-sama," The prison guards greeted as Hiruzen walked past the double doors, their red eyes blazing. Inwardly, Hiruzen sighed at the thinly veiled contempt, wondering what he should do. Lately, his relations with the Uchihas had been turning very sour, and his peaceful negotiations didn't seem to be affecting them at all. Hiruzen's teammates had been very adamant about _what_ exactly they should do to the Uchiha, but the Sandaime did not want to take such measures.

Not only were the Uchiha's part of Konoha and supposed to be under the Hokage's protection, but their Sharingan eyes made them invaluable. Such as now, as prison guards they would be able to see through any illusion that might cause an escape. Konoha wouldn't be able to function without them. Hiruzen wished that his old teammates would at least see the political side of it, if they did not see the moral side. But still, that was another problem, Hiruzen needed to focus on the golden eyed stranger today.

"Hokage-sama," Rooster and Hare greeted, when Hiruzen finally made it down all the stairs. The Sandaime glanced around, frowning slightly at the prison's interior. It was necessary he knew, but that didn't mean he liked it. Various torture instruments littered the lowest level, the level meant to be for those considered the most dangerous. It was appalling for a child to see this, if the blond haired boy ever woke up.

Rooster gestured to a cell to his right, various seals for suppressing chakra all over the door. "The stranger is in there, and I believe he is finally gaining consciousness. We have not healed his wounds as a precaution in case he would try to escape. Would you like me to knock him out again?"

The Hokage frowned fully this time, looking at the hard steel cell with a disapproving eye. "No, it is not necessary, I wish to question him."

Nodding, the two ANBU assented and moved aside, but still stuck closely to the Hokage just in case. Hiruzen strolled up to the cell, peering inside. Indeed, the blond was there, though his hair was matted with blood. His clothes were very odd, and he sported no forehead protector anywhere. His tiny hands, which were separated by a wooden board so he couldn't perform any jutsus, were smooth, indicating that the blond had never trained in weaponry. If he was a ninja, he was a very odd one indeed.

Just then, the blond seemed to turn over, muttering something in his forced slumber. "Father… so stupid… immortality…"

Hiruzen's eyes widened at those words, as everything seemed to click into place. Gold eyes, child prodigy, the snake symbol, no apparent allegiance, immortality… why hadn't he made the connection before? That was why this stranger seemed so familiar, because… because… "Hare, please wake him up."

Nodding, the ANBU guard squatted down, flashing through a series of handseals. Then, Hare stuck one hand through the metal bars, and gently touched the blond's shoulders. Hiruzen smiled softly, thankful for a woman's intuition. He had learned never to even _think_ about the ANBU's real names while they were on duty, because it gave more chance of him slipping out their identities, but this time his mind couldn't help but flash to the strong young woman who became Hare. Even she obviously, could not ignore her mother's instinct to help a little boy.

The blond groaned softly, eased awake by the peaceful jutsu. He blearily opened his eyes, blinking, and Hiruzen couldn't help the gasp that escaped him. The eyes of molten gold… Hiruzen's theory was confirmed.

Hiruzen plopped to the ground, crossing his legs as if he were simply getting prepared to tell a fairy tale, and not in the most dangerous level of the Konoha prison. He leaned forward slightly in an open gesture, keeping his voice gentle. "How are you feeling?"

The response was quick, automatic, made almost before the boy registered where exactly he was. "Like I've been burned by Mustang's flames. Ten times over. Don't tell him that though."

Hiruzen chuckled, amused. So far, the boy didn't act like a regular spy at all. "So, what is your name?"

"Edward Elric," The boy grumbled, awkwardly sitting up. Wincing, he hissed under his breath, his hand automatically going to his chest. His hand didn't make it very far. Looking disgruntled, Edward held out his shackled hands, "Ah great, what did I do this time? Don't tell me the guy I attacked was the son of the leader of this place or something like that. I swear, he started it!"

The Hokage was outright laughing by now. Yes, this boy was very amusing. But he kept in mind that Edward's first questions weren't about his injuries, or even where he was. Clearing his throat and forcing his expression back into a more serious face, Hiruzen shook his head at the young boy. "No, he was not my son, and while I do believe that he initiated the attack, he did have a right to. You were on our land after all, and it was part of his orders to bring in any suspicious personnel."

"You're the leader?" Edward asked blinking, seeming to only catch onto the first part of Hiruzen's speech, "Then please let me go. I didn't come to cause trouble, I just want to get home."

"And where is your home?" Hiruzen questioned, deciding wisely to skip over Edward's request. After all, he really could make no promises with the situation as it was.

For a split second, Edward hesitated, making Hiruzen's insides flare with suspicion. But then again, he told himself, the boy could simply be wary of telling strangers of his location. "I'm from Germany. Where exactly are we?"

Ah, here was a question Hiruzen had been expecting. "We are currently in the deepest level of prison. I apologise for such measures, but even we know not to underestimate children."

"I figured." The blond let his arms drop, seeming to understand he wouldn't be let out any time soon. Twirling his index finger, Edward started doodling on the floor with the dungeon dirt, looking like he was holding back exasperation. "I _mean_, what country are we in?"

Hiruzen's eyebrows shot up straight to his hairline. What? How in the world, could the boy not know that they were in Konoha, considering he was sitting right in front of the Hokage right now. Even if Edward didn't know about Konoha, he should have at least known that he was in Fire Country. Konoha was located near the center of the country, and to get here Edward would have had to traverse half the land. There was no way no one had told him the name of the country he was in. Was he faking it? But then, why fake something so ridiculous? Unless… Edward hoped that it was so ridiculous that the Hokage couldn't do anything but believe him? Hiruzen sighed, going down that particular thought path would get him nowhere.

"We are currently in Fire Country, Konoha" Hiruzen replied finally, feeling that it couldn't possibly hurt to allow that piece of information. "If I may ask Edward, what was your father's name?"

The blond stiffened, his golden eyes narrowing, "Why do you want to know?"

The ANBU were far too trained to interfere when the Hokage was interrogating someone, but they nonetheless tensed. Probably, they felt had never heard someone speak disrespectfully to Hiruzen, and were fighting an obligation to slap the boy. Hiruzen sighed, motioning that it was okay, and that at least, seemed to calm the ANBU down slightly.

Once again, Hiruzen focused his attention on the boy, grey eyes filled with sorrow. "I think I may have known him."

The boy looked down, silently fuming. "That bastard seemed to have known everyone _except_ his own kids, eh?"

Hiruzen was slightly taken aback by the hostility. From what he had known, Orochimaru was extremely partial towards family. But then again, he hadn't known his favourite pupil very well, had he? Perhaps Orochimaru's personality had changed. After all, hadn't he destroyed his three pupils? But perhaps it was better for Edward to have no love for his father, since Orochimaru was so against Konoha. Ugh, what was he thinking? Even if the allegiance were different, Hiruzen shouldn't have been hoping that a child hated his father! The Hokage sighed, feeling unbelievably weary. "You don't like your father?"

"Dislike is a mild way of putting it," Edward snorted, "But hey, can we get this interrogation over with so I can just leave? I have things to do and- Ah man, don't tell me that old Daddi-oes committed some atrocity here and you're pinning the blame on me."

It was uncanny how accurate that statement was, no matter how sarcastically it was said. However, that was not the case this time. "No Edward, your father has nothing to do with this case. We simply felt some odd chakra disturbances, and found you to be the source of it. So close to Konoha, and the fact that you managed to injure one of the best of us ninja… well you can see why we might be wary."

Edward blinked, then sighed. "Oh no, it's one of _those_. Great, just great. Alright, what do I have to do to prove that I'm not a spy, threat, assassin, etc, etc?"

"Really?" The Hokage asked, throwing a kunai and imbedding it where Edward's fingers had been lingering just seconds before. Edward quickly pulled his hands back, looking alarmed. "Then what are you doing drawing a seal? Surely not trying to escape? That's hardly a way to earn trust."

Edward looked grimly at the ruined array, then looked back at the Hokage. "I just don't like depending on others, you could say. And I wasn't planning on escaping unless you decided not to let me out. Anyways, please just get the questions over with. Ask them bluntly, I promise I won't get offended. I hate it when everything's veiled threats and questions; leads to too much misunderstandings and takes way too much time."

Hiruzen's lips twitched at the logic, "Very well than Edward, I'll be frank. Are you a ninja?"

"No."

"How did you perform ninjutsus then, if you are not?" The Hokage asked, truly curious. Well, if Edward wasn't a ninja, it would account for his lack of chakra signature, but… what about the advanced jutsus he performed, and his parentage? Was it possible perhaps, that Edward simply did not _know_ he was a ninja, and thought the techniques were something all normal civilians knew?

"Jutsus…" Edward looked to be in thought for a moment. "Hm… must be another name. Well, a… friend of mine taught it to me."

Hiruzen couldn't stop his brow from rising. A _friend_? Ninjas did not simply teach civilians jutsus, they weren't allowed. Even missing nins, would never consider such blasphemy. People had to be trained to handle the ninja arts, and that was why there were teachers and instructors out there, to make sure nobody killed themselves trying to channel chakra. But, but if this was indeed Orochimaru's child, then… it was very possible that an acquaintance of the Snake Sannin had taught Edward.

"Who was this friend of yours?" Hiruzen asked gently. This could be important, could help determine if there were any other missing nins Hiruzen should be aware of. However, he kept in mind that Edward could very well lie, just to make Hiruzen suspect someone he shouldn't.

"Ah, well," Edward hesitated slightly, "She's not exactly _my_ friend, more like my brother's. Mei Chan. Anyway, that's why I'm here. My brother is missing, and I thought he might be in this country, since he wasn't in ours. I came to look for him. He thinks the world is his friend, so you see why I think it's urgent. He might go around making friends with serial killers or something! He could get into serious trouble! I need to find him!"

Brother…? Was that another tactic to take Hiruzen off guard, and make him let the boy go? But no, even Itachi couldn't hide his fondness for little Sasuke in front of the wizen Hokage's eyes, and Edward was definitely being truthful in his anxiety at least. But Edward was definitely keeping something from him, that much was _obvious_. Hiruzen's mind worked overtime. Did that mean that Edward was a bad spy, or a brilliant one? Finally, Hiruzen sighed, "I'm afraid I cannot do that, at least not now. We don't know what information you may have learned from Konoha, or if that odd chakra you contacted was…"

Edward gave a snarl of frustration, nearly causing the old man to jump in surprise. "If I were a spy, I'd have been less obvious wouldn't I?"

"Well yes, but you could have been trying out a technique you found from one of our scrolls." Hiruzen reprimanded gently, feeling a surge of surrealism. Why in the world was he correcting a possible enemy on the methods of spying and detecting spying? Using completely hypothetical situations that Hiruzen sure hadn't happened. This was just like his visits to the academy, except in a darker, colder, smaller, place.

"Agh!" Edward screamed, throwing back his head, "This is unbelievable! You're JUST like those scientists who can't admit that they're wrong. You completely twist logic! You're the bane of the common folk!"

Hiruzen felt his lips twitch. He had no idea what 'scientists' were, but he got a fair idea of what Edward was implying. Then, his smirk turned into a full blown chuckle. Ah, this boy was amusing.

Edward stared at him as if he had henged on a dress. Possibly yellow poka-dotted ones.

Ah where his mind was leading him… Hiruzen let his chuckle die down, a brilliant idea striking him. There was actually, one situation that would solve everything, and Hiruzen couldn't believe he hadn't thought of it sooner! If Hiruzen played his cards right, then no matter what Edward was, Hiruzen would gain Konoha something truly valuable.

Feeling a grin that may have been a bit more than benevolent, Hiruzen turned twinkling eyes on Edward. "You know, there is a perfect solution for both you and I."

Golden eyes looked back at him suspiciously, "Let's hear it then."

Hiruzen cleared his throat, "Edward, I'd like to offer you a place as a ninja in the Hidden Village of the Leaf."

Again, the ANBU tensed, and Edward seemed to notice this time. He narrowed his eyes, suspicion shining clearly within them. "Why are you being so generous? I take it that it isn't a regular occurrence to be offering random strangers positions in your village is it?"

Hiruzen nearly smiled at Edward's hostility. Again, the boy showed that he was not one for cunning and trickery. It nearly made Hiruzen feel guilty about what he was going to do next. "Well, when you had clearly defeated one of my top ninja, you decided to help him instead of kill him didn't you? Added to that, your brotherly devotion is admirable, thus proving your loyalty. You have considerable intellect, and a good level of determination. You'd be a valuable addition to our village."

Edward snorted, looking away, "Sounds nice for you, but I don't feel like being anyone's dog anymore."

Anyone's… dog? No matter, it was probably an odd figure of speech teenagers were fond of these days. Hiruzen made a not to ask Naruto about it later. Not knowing these things made him feel old. But that was off topic… "You will be a special jounin, one for research. You won't have to take any missions unless you want to, and all you _have_ to do is research what I ask you to. At the same time, you would have access to many classified files and restricted areas. You'd be able to find your brother easier."

There, that was the best Hiruzen could offer, but if Edward was anything like Hiruzen imagined, it would be more than enough. Yes, the deal was a win-win situation for the old man, and even he had to applaud himself for it. There'd be one more talented ninja for Konoha, and not an overly brutal one too. Also, if Edward was a spy (which by this point Hiruzen seriously doubted), then they would be able to keep an eye on him. Plus, Hiruzen could help guide the poor child and make sure that Edwrad didn't follow in Orochimaru's path. Hiruzen's suggestion killed three birds with one stone, and he had just thought it up in a moment. Ah well, he wasn't considered a genius for nothing.

Edward bit his lip, looking unsure. "I… I don't approve of ninja methods. These dungeons… they're not just a resting place are they?"

Ah…? Edward didn't approve? Hiruzen felt his eyebrows rise at that; he had not been expecting it. Though, he supposed he should have, considering what Itachi told him about Edward 'sparing' the Uchiha when he had the chance. Hiruzen felt a true smile make its way up his lips. A pacifist… this couldn't have gone better.

Hiruzen cleared his throat, looking at Edward earnestly. "No, I don't agree with these ninja methods either, but that's how we were brought up-"

"That doesn't make it right," Edward interrupted bitterly, "I thought I had peace once, but then I realized it was just ignorance. We all have the ability to change ourselves, and not act like barbarians who only care for greed and revenge."

"Please, let me finish." Hiruzen gently admonished, feeling secretly pleased. Ah, he and the boy had so much in common…!

"Sorry," Edward muttered, a tinge of pink appearing on his cheeks.

Hiruzen coughed, beginning again, "I don't agree with those methods, but most people don't know anything else. Thus, I have been trying all my life, to change the way people think. As you can see, it is going slowly, but trust me when I tell you Konoha is gradually becoming more and more peace seeking. I'd also like you to help me, change the minds of the ninja of Konoha."

"Change their minds…?" Edward murmured, looking away. "But I'm- I'm…"

"And I'm just an old man," Hiruzen said wearily, following Edward's train of thought. "What can we do, right?"

"No! That's not it!" Edward shook his head frantically, looking at Hiruzen with the same ferocity he had when he was talking about his brother, "You can do a lot! _We_ can do a lot…"

Hiruzen blinked, and smiled, feeling bubble of fondness welled up for the young boy. That had been surprising, but not an unwelcome surprise. It did look like Edward had quite a bit of spirit, and enough intellect to match it. If only the boy had been born a few years earlier, then Hiruzen might not have to be Sandaime anymore…

But Edward could simply be deceiving him. The boy was after all, Orochimaru's son. Orochimaru's son… Orochimaru, whom Hiruzen had failed. Orochimaru, the Sandaime's favourite student. Orochimaru, whom Hiruzen sometimes thought about when he was lying in bed, and sleep would not come to him. Orochimaru, whom would smirk at his teammates' antics, and make the most insightful comments to his sensei. Hiruzen often wondered, that if he had done anything differently, would Orochimaru have never left the village in disgrace? If Hiruzen had paid more attention, more kindness, would it be his favourite student sitting in the Hokage Tower right now?

"You-" Edward's voice brought him back to reality, and Hiruzen silently chided himself for falling into depressive memories. "You tricked me didn't you? Into agreeing? Damn old manipulative bastards…"

"Language," Hiruzen corrected automatically, then paused, considering Edward's words. "No, it was never my intention to trick you into agreeing. I will not consider that consent if you do not wish it to be."

Edward lifted his eyes to the ceiling, looking slightly annoyed, "A man never goes back on his words. I said I'd help you, even with your twisted logic, so I will. Now do I get to get out of this cell?"

A soft smile made its way to Hiruzen's face. No, no, he couldn't think about the past, he had to focus on the future. Now Hiruzen finally had a chance to rectify his past mistakes, or at least, make them more bearable. He would not let it go to waste.

"Now," Hiruxen said gently, getting up. He turned to the ANBU gaurds, brushing off the dust from his robes. "Hare, please escort Edward-san to the hotel and keep him company until his living arrangements are adjusted. Place the tab on the Hokage, and see to it that the child is healed properly."

Hare nodded, and spun to open the cell. Hiruzen gave one last nod to Edward, "Edward, I'll give you a guide to show you around Konoha, and where your main research facility is. When your living arrangements have been decided upon, Hare will escort you to the Hokage tower, where you will be getting your assignments and doing weekly reports. Is this acceptable?"

Edward nodded, seeming to understand that this was the leader talking, not the kind old man. Hiruzen smiled, and turned to leave, starting his long trek back to the Hokage Tower. When he got there, he was surprised to see Itachi already standing at the doorway, sporting quite a number of bandages. Hoping that the boy wasn't mad at him for being late, Hiruzen swung open his door, and invited the child in.

"Itachi," The Hokage wondered aloud as the door swayed closed again, "Do I need to take you off active duty for a while?"

"No need, Hokage-sama," Itachi replied, not able to completely hide the resentful glint in his eyes, "They look worse than they are. These burns will heal in a few days, and will not even leave scarring. They are no hindrance in a battle, simply bad to look at."

Hiruzen winced slightly, not knowing for whom Itachi's resentment was for. The worst case scenario, it would be for Itachi's new assignment… "Itachi, now that I have met Edward-san, please tell me your opinion on him."

Itachi's answer came immediately, which surprised the Hokage. Usually, it was best to think hard on someone before reaching a conclusion, and Hiruzen had expected Itachi to take some time. Then again, Itachi was nothing if not thorough, and had probably started formulating an opinion on the blond the moment Itachi set eyes on him

"He is very talented and focused in battle," The Uchiha commented as if he were submitting a report, "His quick adaptability and formidable jutsus prove that. However, physically he is weak though I don't doubt he feels he is strong. My guess is that he has been through a lot in his life, since he hardly reacted when I stuck a kunai in his arm. Personality-wise, I think he is kind but naïve. Trying to heal me could have got him killed in a real battle. He is also short-tempered in a way that will get him into trouble, and doesn't think to look beneath the obvious. Despite whatever hardships he might have faced, he is still very much a child."

"In other words, you like him," Hiruzen mused, sticking a brand new pipe between his lips.

"I would not say I like him, exactly," Itachi said guardedly, "Simply that he is not a cruel person."

"Yes, yes," The Hokage nodded, his mind already flying ahead, "But you don't mind him, right? Yes, this will work… Itachi, Edward Elric will be your new assignment."

There was a long pause and then… "Excuse me?"

"You heard me," Hiruzen said sternly, inwardly laughing at the slightly stunned tone in Itachi's voice. "Edward Elric cannot be fully trusted yet, even though I do not believe he is a spy. He has that 'innocent' quality about him, that can't be faked. However, the council will have a fit if I just accepted a stranger into Konoha and showered them with privileges, no matter how useful they might be. Therefore, you will have to accompany him everywhere, to ensure that he does not contact any of Konoha's enemies. Oh and, feed him the occasional false information about Konoha's military situation, of course."

Itachi looked odd, trying to comprehend everything. Ooh, Hiruzen was having fun with this. But, Hiruzen really shouldn't make fun of one of his best ninja like this…

"I appointed him a special jounin," Hiruzen explained gently, "For research. Edward Elric is talented, and I saw no need to waste that talent in a prison cell. Your father will not object to you being guard, even though you possess the Sharingan which the other villages desire. After all, Fugaku-" _will not acknowledge that there can be a genius outside of the Uchiha clan_ "-believes in your abilities. I also trust in your abilities, and I think that you will catch what others will miss."

There was more to it of course. Hiruzen wanted to nurture Edward's kind spirit, so he would not go down the same path Orochimaru had. Also, Itachi needed someone his age, someone who could understand him. Although ninja were supposed to be tools, Hiruzen secretly felt very sad Itachi had shattered his childhood with battles. Perhaps with Edward, Itachi could finally relax like he deserved, perhaps even have some fun. Hiruzen could see so many similarities between the two, and could feel his hopes rise as he looked ahead at the possibilities…

"And what of Elric? He will hate his guard, because I have betrayed his trust."

"Nonsense. Edward is a smart boy; he'll figure out that what you did for him was your own brand of honour. You didn't let him heal you right? You easily could have, but you didn't, knocking him out right before he could. It could have saved you a lot of pain, and possible infections, but it was against your moral code to pay somebody back with malice. I wouldn't be surprised if Edward has figured that out already, and never held it against you in the first place."

"…very well Hokage-sama, it looks like you have already prepared all your answers. I shall take my leave now."

Hiruzen sighed as he watched Itachi walk away, feeling melancholy. Brilliant ideas after all, were not often understood, and led to a great deal of isolation. It was not easy, being a genius.

* * *

A/n: Hun. Fun chapter, but it ended on kind of a sad note. It's true though, geniuses do have it pretty tough. Taking a look at history, they never did seem to have friends (or a faithful spouse, it seems). The world of Naruto is nice though, since there are soooo many geniuses…

Nothing really happened in this chapter, but it was needed to explain Sarutobi's actions. However… I promise the next chapter will be more exciting! (I can't wait for it!) Edward gets sent on a… espionage mission with Itachi! LOL.


	3. Three

A/n: First of all… MERRY CHRISTMAS! Second, I'm only armed with grade 11 physics, so the debate that Itachi and Ed have isn't the greatest, but it's the most academic thing I could think of, so please bear with me!

Chapter 3- The Grass is Always Greener

It was a nice apartment, a beautiful apartment even. The windows were large and clean, allowing the afternoon sunlight to completely bathe the room. Dark curtains fluttered at each side of the ornate windows, ready to be pulled closed and plunge the room into darkness. The furniture -though not expensive- looked comfortable enough, and littered the room in a pleasant and airy manner. For a living room it was quite large, but then again, the kitchen was connected to it as well. The room was a nice country green, with only four doors to disrupt the calming flow.

Standing at the doorway looking in, Edward couldn't help but be impressed. If it wasn't for what Uchiha had just told him, Edward would have loved it.

As it was, now all Edward could do was scowl. So the old man didn't trust him after all! Yeah, yeah, the Hokage could say all he wanted about Edward's new rank, but this apartment was proof of the old man's suspicions. It had some sort of array on it, preventing him from going outside once he was inside. At 9am, his 'escort' would come and deactivated the array, and reactivated when Edward went back 6pm. It was like Edward had a curfew. What was he, a kid?

Well… okay, yeah in this universe he was a kid, and he hadn't really bothered to correct them. After all, it was rather hard to believe that someone had crossed dimensions and was stuck in an 11 year old body when they were actually 16 _just because_ they tried to bring back the dead. Oh and of course, this dimension traveller didn't mean any harm. Yeah… that would fly over real well. But still, did the person who guarded him _have_ to be a kid?

"Glaring at me will not help," Uchiha said in a monotone, "I was ordered to guard you, and I will not defy orders. Surely _you_ know, that it is not age that determines capability?"

Right, of course he did. It would make Edward seem like an idiot to argue otherwise. He himself had faced a lot of discrimination when he had first entered the military, since none of the older soldiers wanted to acknowledge a twelve year old as their superior. Not that he had cared, but still, he supposed Uchiha didn't have that all consuming reason that Edward did that allowed him to disregard dignity. Still…

"It's not capability I'm worried about," Edward muttered, crossing his arms. So he wasn't quite over the whole 'put Edward to sleep' thing. Yeah, okay, he understood Uchiha's reasons for knocking him out, but that didn't mean he'd have to _like_ it. Worse, he felt like he'd been played.

"If you are referring to the genjutsu I put on you while you were trying to heal me, I apologize. However, it was needed."

Edward scowled, "Yeah I know it was needed, it was your duty right? But still, if you could do that with eye contact, why didn't you do it earlier? Why'd you have to wait until I made the decision to heal you? That's sick, playing with minds."

Whoops, he hadn't really meant to say all that… or maybe he had. Edward was sick of telling lies, sick of dancing around issues. He liked straightforwardness; and what better way to get a straightforward answer with straightforward questions?

For a long moment, Uchiha was silent. Then— "I did not mean to. Again, I apologize."

Sheesh, did this guy _ever_ get mad? Thinking back to the fight, Edward couldn't really remember a time when the guy had lost his cool, either. Uchiha had been cool and condescending, but had never flown into a rage. It made Edward want to clock the guy. Uchiha reminded him too much a certain Colonel…

Edward clenched his fists, squeezing his eyes shut. No, no, _no_! He would not think about them. He had consciously made the decision to abandon that world in able to give Al the chance at life that Edward stole, so he _could not_ think about that world.

But… but… with this new alkehestry, couldn't he afford to? The possibilities seemed endless with the type of power these 'ninja' displayed, and Edward's alchemy worked too. It was entirely possible that Edward could find a way home, a way to Al, to the Colonel, to Winry. He could picture their faces so clearly, so vividly. It was like he was never away at all.

"Are you alright?" The concerned voice floated into Edward's consciousness, startling him. Opening his eyes, Edward looked to Uchiha, who actually looked a little worried. "You have not been responding to me."

Really?

Edward frowned, lifting a hand to his head in concern. It was not like him, especially with his military ingrained instincts to never stop observing. In alchemy after all, observation was what eventually saved your life, and Edward was not a State Alchemist for nothing.

Thinking about it now, there were times during the dungeon episode where he blanked out a lot, but was able to cover it up easily enough. But before that, he never daydreamed; or at least, not to the point where he ignored all else. It was odd.

Seeing that Edward was fine, Uchiha seemed to straighten himself. "As a new jounin, even a special one, you must be at attention at all times. Please refrain from daydreaming."

Edward narrowed his eyes, feeling a little bubble of anger well up inside him. Did the Uchiha think he was an idiot or something? What was with that tone? Well, Edward could match him. "Perhaps it was side effects from your little 'genjutsu' thing."

The Uchiha immediately stiffened. Red eyes narrowed, and Uchiha's tone turned icy. "Then perhaps we make a visit to the hospital to make sure you are not suffering from permanent damage."

Edward let out a tight smile of victory. He had gotten the damn Uchiha to react after all. Even if it couldn't be considered much, he would count it as a milestone for Uchiha. Well, maybe that was enough teasing for today. Edward took one last look at his apartment, then turned towards the stairs, "There's no need for the hospital. I'm sure it'll pass. If this genjutsu thing is widely used, I'm sure people get over the effects quickly. I would like to visit the library right now. May we?"

"You know…" The Uchiha stated, gliding past him, "No one has had an adverse reaction to a genjutsu before…"

Edward froze. What? His mind raced. Did regular people not suffer any side effects after the so called 'genjutsus' were cast? What did that mean for him? Was he just special because he was from another dimension or… was this a side effect from the gate?

"Edward-san," Uchiha's blank face didn't change one bit, but Edward could tell that the red eyed brat was smirking underneath, "Did you not want to visit the library? Perhaps we can research your unique condition there."

Edward gritted his teeth, understanding Uchiha's message. So the red eyed ninja was suspicious of him. With a stiff nod, Edward followed the Uchiha down the stairs, and past the various buildings to the Great Library.

The sight of it stopped his breath.

It was amazing, just as amazing as the State Library, in its own way. Though it didn't have shining pillars and polished marble, this library had its own charm, which fit with Konoha almost perfectly. Each part was hand carved with beautiful designs and dancing figures, which Edward knew would take at least a year to fully appreciate. Vines grew around the wooden pillars, giving the library the classical look that it came right from nature itself. A faint, musty scent filled the air: the scent of history, and knowledge. Edward fell in love with it right there.

Hardly paying any mind to his guard, Edward drifted in, running his hands along the smooth wooden walls. Golden eyes scanned the various titles, all of which sounded breathlessly interesting. Ninjutsu, Genjutsus, Taijutsus, Seals, Summons, History, Lightning Country, The Basics of Ninja…

He pressed a finger against the spine of the book, flipping it out and scanning the contents. Using jutsus here turned out to be almost exactly the same as using alkehestry in the old world. One simply had to combine the spiritual aspect (which in this world, was not the earth but the mind) with the physical and vola, something happened! In its own way, equivalent exchange still occurred, except instead of using life itself, they seemed to be using temporary energy. It was… brilliant to say in the least.

Well it _was_ brilliant, until Edward got to the parts that described the duties of a ninja. Nearly slamming the book shut when he finished, Edward quickly thrust the bundle of paper back into its place, as if it were too dirty to be touched for too long.

"Is something the matter?"

Edward nearly jumped, having forgotten Uchiha was there. Whipping around, Edward cast a sheepish look at his companion. Uchiha was sitting languidly at a table not too far from Edward's position, reading another book. He hadn't looked up from his book, but the blond could somehow still tell Uchiha could see every move that Edward made. Carefully scrutinizing the 11 year old boy, Edward wondered that if Uchiha too, had been forced to kill.

Uchiha finally looked up from his book, seemingly unable to back down from a challenge.

"Do you really-" Edward began, than shook his head, "No, that's a stupid question. Have you ever killed?"

It came out hesitant, unsure, and not like him at all. It was hesitant, unsure, and a topic Edward wasn't sure if he should have breached. But, he was going to be working with these people, so he had to know. Still, Uchiha was perfectly within his rights to deck him, and just this once, Edward wouldn't retaliate. The actual response wasn't nearly as expressive as Edward thought it would be.

"Yes."

Edward blinked; that was it? Just a monotone 'yes'? Not Mustang's small, ashamed yet defiant 'yes', nor Kimbley's slight insane, gleeful 'yes'? Just a 'yes' that was said without emotion, without thought? Edward clenched his fists; he thought he preferred Kimbley's 'yes' over this.

"So I see," Uchiha muttered, glancing at Edward with an almost apologetic look in his demonic red eyes, "I take it that despite your new promotion and adequate fighting skills, you are still very much a civilian in that mindset. You cannot condone killing? Perhaps you should ask the Hokage to reconsider your new status."

"Cannot condone killing?" Edward gritted out, "Is killing something that should be condoned? Yes, I agree, that _some_ people, meaning a very select few, need to be eliminated in able for the world to gain some semblance of peace, but where does that line end? It seems to me that ninja kill every single person that they have a problem with!"

"We do not!" Uchiha snapped, his blood red eyes ablaze like fire. "Violence does not solve everything in the ninja world! Do you think people aren't trying for peace? What ninja do aren't that different from regular villagers, we just kill in a more complex way! It's not like we like violence either."

"What a funny thing to say for an organization that depends on assassinations," Edward sneered.

Uchiha opened his mouth, a fierce and slightly frightening look in his eyes. Suddenly, he seemed to deflate, going back to his standoffish, cold self. "That is why it is hard to change this village, this whole ninja system. We are trying to, but until we do it is unrealistic to expect us to suddenly stop killing."

Edward snorted, turning away. Talk about a kid trying to play the adult. Grumpily, he glared back at the bookshelves. He knew that of course, knew that it would be unlikely for the ninja to suddenly stop killing just because Edward Elric showed up. Still… that didn't mean he had to like it.

"But I would not worry about it," Uchiha continued, "You are a research jounin, and therefore not liable to being assigned to assassinations…"

But Edward's attention was far from Uchiha at the moment, catching onto something that he would have smacked himself for not seeing before.

_Time/Space techniques._

Edward drifted towards that shelf, heart bubbling with excitement, hope, anxiety. Was it possible…? Completely forgetting about the world around him once again, Edward entered the realm of knowledge.

Hungrily, Edward drank in the books, feeling something he hadn't felt since that fateful night, the night that he had spent the past five years trying to correct. It was a bubbling excitement, a willingness and yearning to learn- to fix and create something deemed impossible. If he could master this time/space jutsu thing, there was a chance to go back to his world…

The Uchiha suddenly didn't matter anymore, erased from Edward's perception. The killing hardly mattered at all. After all, it was in a foreign country, wasn't it? All Edward cared about now, was learning everything about the time/space techniques, and finally getting home. _Home_. He hadn't dared think that word, but now… now it was looking like a real possibility.

* * *

"Edward, Itachi," The Hokage greeted politely, smiling his benign old smile.

They bowed, as were their wont, their voices low and humble, "Hokage-sama."

Inwardly, Itachi felt a flicker of surprise, though he knew he really shouldn't. So Edward knew how to greet people after all. Itachi would have thought that the blond didn't know anything about customs, much less be expected to follow them, but here he was, being proven wrong. Perhaps those books Edward had been reading had been helpful after all.

"How has it been going?" The Hokage asked graciously, flapping a hand so that the door swung closed behind them. Itachi wondered at this, since there was still someone obviously in the room with them, but whatever was the Hokage's will he supposed, he would have to consent. "Edward, you are adjusting well I hope?

Edward nodded, an excited glint in his eyes, "Your library has very interesting material."

The Hokage laughed, a soft, wheezing sound. Shaking his head slightly, he turned to face Itachi, "And Itachi, no problems?"

"None," Itachi murmured, inclining his head.

And truly, there were no problems: at least, no surface ones. Edward had been fairly compliant these past two weeks, not causing any problems whatsoever. And that was what had Itachi on edge.

It seemed that the blond was being entirely _too_ compliant, if that could be a fault. After that almost argument the blond had with Itachi on the first day, Edward had never again disputed with the Uchiha. No… it was more than that. It was as if the blond didn't want to talk with Itachi. Or anyone else, for that matter.

It was disturbing to say in the least. Itachi had peeked at Edward's books, but they all seemed to be basic ninja knowledge that anyone could get their hands on. It wasn't anything special, nothing to give away any fact that Edward might be a spy.

Though… even he had to admit that the rate at which Edward read was rather impressive. The blond had gone through an entire shelf within a week. If Itachi weren't so suspicious of the Hokage's reasons for accepting the blond, he would have commended the Sandaime for picking out such an excellent researcher.

The Hokage coughed, gaining back his wandering attention.

"Now as you may know," The old man stated sadly, "I unfortunately cannot call people here simply for health checks. Edward, I am glad you are adjusting well because it has been decided that you have stayed here long enough to start to serve. Therefore, I have a mission for you."

"A mission?" For a moment, Edward looked annoyed, but he quickly shook his head as if to clear that thought. Good. Even the idiot blond wasn't stupid enough to refuse a mission from his sponsor. "Right then, what am I to do?"

The Hokage pulled out a drawer in his desk, and collected a stack of paper. Putting the sheets in front of him, he looked at the two of them seriously, "Grass Country is one of Fire Country's greatest allies, and as such, they have decided to hold an event in which we can share in our good will towards each other. We are to send two of our academy students to them, and they will send two students to us, so that we can learn a bit about each other. Much like the Chuunin Exams, if you please."

Itachi's eyes never left the papers, "But the Chuunin Exams have a much deeper meaning."

The Hokage nodded, steeping his fingers together, "Ah, so you have figured it out, as I had thought you would. Yes, this little event is more than just an exchange of good will. Much like the Chuunin Exams, I expect Grass will send their best academy students, so that they will seem much more competition than Konoha."

"What does this have to do with us?" Edward blurted out. Seeing their two stares, he blushed, "I mean, we're both technically jounin right? It wouldn't be fair if Itachi and I participated."

"That is true," Itachi said slowly, "We could put our skills to better use."

The Sandaime's eyes glittered, "My, my, what sharp little ninja you are. I hadn't even asked the question yet, and you have guessed. But my friends, you should know that there is always more than meets the eye. This mission is more than just an exchange, or even a chance to show off."

Itachi cocked his head, interested in spite of himself.

The Sandaime spread out the papers, looking at them intently, "Recently, there have been a number of killings within the Grass Palace. Individually, they all look like bad luck, or maybe even one bad offense to a suicidal ninja, but when you put them together…"

Itachi stared down at the piece of paper, looking confusedly at the list of names. Their names he remembered, but they didn't relate to each other in any way. Their causes of death were common enough, happening about once every- and suddenly, it became clear to him, "Their deaths are all…!"

The Hokage nodded, "Yes, the causes of their deaths are perhaps, _too_ inconspicuous to be ignored. You hear about these 'natural causes of death' happening all the time, so it's not such a big deal. However, when they all start happening to nobles around the same time…"

"But for what purpose are they being killed?" Itachi murmured, not really understanding. As far as he knew, none of these nobles were related in anyways, and this method of killing was far too tedious for a simple fanatic.

"That's what you are hired to investigate," The Hokage stated, shuffling the papers away. "A worried noble of the Grass Palace has figured this out too, and has hired us investigate Grass. Of course, he could not hire any of the Grass ninjas, because he did not know who to trust. He is a very old friend of mine, so I agreed with him for this favour. Plus, I would like to know the political situation in Grass myself, since I feel like something is being kept from us."

"And this 'event' is the perfect chance for us to have an actual reason to be there," Itachi muttered.

"Yes, and since you two are the only ones who have the skill of a jounin, but can pass for eager students, it must be you two who do it."

Itachi didn't like arguing with the Hokage, but there was one, big, gaping flaw in the Sandaime's plan. "But they know I am a chuunin."

The Hokage shook his head, "And they probably know that Edward is a special jounin. What they don't know however, is that you're ANBU, Itachi. No matter what they say, it is human nature to underestimate children. They will think you passed the exams because of your bloodline limit -I apologize- and even so, chuunin is not a large threat. As for Edward, well he is a _research_ jounin, hardly something that strikes fear in people's hearts. You two will be overlooked."

"Funny that," Edward let out a wry grin, "You're giving me a mission on spying."

"I mean nothing by it," The Hokage apologized, "It simply is that there is nobody else who could possibly do it."

The Hokage meant more than nothing. If the Sandaime was so easily assigning a mission out of town for the newcomer…

Edward bent his waist ever so slightly, a gesture of respect, "Thank you."

So he understood, too. It was of course, a very kind gesture from the Sandaime, and it wasn't as if Itachi thought Edward was a serious threat, but, was it really the right course of action for a Hokage to take?

The Sandaime's eyes glittered, as if he knew what Itachi was thinking. The old ninja cocked his head sideways, gesturing to the shadows, "Of course, as 'children', you will have an escort."

Itachi's eyes roved over to the hidden figure, the ANBU level ninja whom he had sensed earlier. Edward stiffened beside him, casting a wary glance at the back of the room. Ah, so the blond hadn't sensed it then. Not that Itachi had expected him to, of course. After all, this was an ANBU, and there were very few people in the world that could sense chakra.

Itachi had only noticed the ANBU because he knew their habits, and of course, his long honed skills. The only reason Itachi had even felt it when Edward had first landed in Konoha was because the disturbance was so large, and no doubt anyone even the tiniest bit sensitive to chakra would have felt it. That is to say, genjutsu users such as himself, and medical ninja.

"Hare shall be going with you," The Hokage explained gently as the ANBU came out of the shadows, a rabbit-like mask on her face, "As a chaperone of sorts. Don't worry, it is expected. It is also expected that she will be ANBU, and most likely Grass will send one of their most powerful ninja as well. However, she will be closely watched, which is the reason I will need you two."

Hare nodded, and put up a hand to her mask to remove it, "For this mission though, I will not be known as Hare, I will be known as…"

"Hikari Sarutobi," Itachi murmured.

All eyes turned to him.

Itachi pretended he didn't notice, and continued staring at the unscarred face of the Hokage's daughter. The rabbit mask dangled from her hands, leering at Itachi with mockery on its face. All this time, the animal face had hidden the truth, had concealed it from Itachi.

Hikari laughed uncomfortably, "Yes, that is my name, and I'm afraid you'll have to use it for the remainder of this trip. Please remember though, elsewhere I'm just Hare."

How could he? How could the Hokage use his own daughter as ANBU, when it was ANBU who had the lowest life expectancies? Yes, he had to be a good leader, and Hare was one of the best, but still…! She had a baby, a little kid named Konohamaru. She shouldn't have been in the assassin corps, yet… But, it wasn't his place.

Clenching the fists hidden within his sleeves, Itachi carefully kept his face blank. "Very well."

Edward dipped his head in assent, no apparent disapproval on his face. Itachi was surprised, until he remembered the golden haired boy didn't know about the dangers of being ANBU. To Edward, ANBU was just some sort of guard weren't they? Especially since they weren't supposed to be recorded in any books…

"Excellent," The Hokage nodded, "You will depart tomorrow, if that's not too soon. Here are the mission details Itachi; please remember to file a good report. Ah and Itachi, if you deem whatever non-threatening to us, you may take care of it. Also, I would like Edward to stay. Itachi, you may have the rest of the day to say goodbye to your family."

Recognizing the dismissal, Itachi bowed and quickly left. As he jumped out of the Hokage tower, he wondered why the Hokage had asked Edward to stay behind. Was it to warn the blond not to do anything that'd incriminate Konoha? Somehow, Itachi doubted that.

Taking to the roofs, Itachi decided to review the mission. He was not an ANBU at eleven for no reason after all. Itachi was nothing if not thorough. He quickly scanned the contents, using his Sharingan to make sure he didn't forget them. Everything was as the old man had said; they were hired by a Grass nin to investigate the killings, and were on Fire Country's espionage mission as a side note.

The excitement of foreign missions had long faded from Itachi, though he had never really had the excitement that all his classmates had seemed to display. The war had seen to that.

Awakened Sharingan at age four; some had called him a genius, but it was all due to the pressures of war. And personally, Itachi wished he had never awakened the damn thing. Now the images constantly plagued his mind; cursed to never be forgotten due to his bloodline. He would trade the thousand jutsus he had learned, for only one night's peaceful sleep.

No… no he wouldn't. He needed that power, as he needed the memories, so that he could make sure that they didn't repeat the same mistake.

Itachi fluttered gently down from the rooftops, landing gracefully on one foot in front of his household. That's right; he needed peace. Peace for a special someone.

The door swung open, revealing a small, dimpled child with messy raven hair. His large eyes brightened immediately when he saw Itachi, his face flushing from pleasure. A wide smile spread across the boy's face, revealing two missing front teeth. "Tachi!"

Inwardly groaning at his butchered name, Itachi gently pushed past the child, stepping into the Uchiha Chief household.

"Ni-san! Ni-san! Help me train!" Sasuke begged, catching onto Itachi's robe as the older boy walked passed. "Ya promised! Ya promised!"

"What promise?" Itachi questioned, crossing his arms as he turned around to face his best little brother.

Sasuke hesitated, looking guilty. "Um… when you were talk'n with Shishui, and I asked if you coul' train me…"

Seeing Itachi's thinning lips, Sasuke quickly jumped to his own defence. Literally. Itachi's lips twitched; his brother gave a whole new meaning to 'hopping mad'.

"It doesn't matter!" Sasuke insisted, looking desperate, "You always say you'll train me, but you never do! I heard that you gots a day off today, so can't you just train me for once? Please? Please?"

For a moment, Itachi hesitated, but reason won out in the end. He couldn't spend time with his brother- couldn't. Raising his two fingers in a familiar way, Itachi poked his brother with a sad smile, "Maybe next time."

Not giving Sasuke a chance to reply, Itachi turned on his heel and walked quickly towards his room. He couldn't stay; he couldn't. If he stayed, he might not be able to resist Sasuke's pleas, and might actually teach Sasuke something. That couldn't happen.

He would taint him; taint the thing that he treasured most. Itachi was only eleven, yet he had killed more than people than he could count on two hands. He had heard what other people called him; whispered behind his back. Under the praises of 'genius', were 'demon child' and 'monster'; for how could a simple child kill so many? Special Assassination and Tactical Squad- well that was just short for murder, wasn't it?

He couldn't let Sasuke experience that.

That's why he was sacrificing his childhood, so Sasuke wouldn't have to. He couldn't be the one that was immature, that could take time to play with their siblings. He needed to be the one that ensured that others could. Therefore, he needed to be the best. That was why every single moment he could spare, Itachi would train. Silently apologizing to his brother, Itachi opened the door to his room and stepped inside. Picking up the scrolls laying neatly on his desk, Itachi sat down and started studying them.

* * *

Edward stepped inside the carriage, giving a slight snort as he took in the rich, velvet hangings, and smooth, leather chairs. The representatives from Grass had _insisted_ that they ride on these carriages on the way to their country, and now Edward could finally see why. _Show-offs_, he thought savagely, taking a seat on the far end of the coach. But then again, it wasn't as if he minded. After all, he had gotten used to luxury, and this certainly beat camping in the woods at night.

Uchiha and Miss Sarutobi slid in gracefully after him, taking a seat beside and across from him respectively. They looked just as thrilled as he did about this development; maybe even less. With all three 'important ninja' inside the coach, the door to the carriage slammed shut, and the vehicle started off on its raggedy ride. Uchiha leaned his head back, looking like he was trying to fall asleep, and Edward decided to take a note from the Uchiha's book.

He was just about to dig out his book and lose his world to reading, when a kindly voice interrupted him.

"So how do you think of Konoha?" Miss Sarutobi asked with a smile, leaning in as if she were truly interested in the answer.

Edward hesitated.

Truthfully, he didn't want to make small talk; which he thought was meaningless and boring. But… but this was a girl, and he could never refuse girls. Still, he didn't want to participate in this. Biting his lip, Edward slowly dug out his book, "It's very nice."

The conversation should have ended right there. In fact, it did. With Edward's short answer, and the act of taking out a book, Miss Sarutobi immediately stopped any attempts at conversation. But… but as she sat there, with a melancholy face, Edward started to feel bad about what he did. She was just trying to be nice, right? Did he have to shut her down so harshly?

Knowing he was going to regret doing this, Edward opened his mouth again, "So, what do _you_ think of Konoha?"

Okay, lame, but he had never said he was good at starting small talk. With alchemic partners, it was all technical mumble-jumble, which he liked and understood. With military personnel, it was straightforward and to the point, 'cause the military didn't believe in wasting time. And with Al and Winry… well, talk never seemed small with them. Not when they were so important.

A small smile spread across Miss Sarutobi's face, "It's my home. Everyday, going to the groceries, watching the old couple who bicker about nothing, seeing little kids running around naked pretending to be ninja… Do you feel it Edward, the warm of the atmosphere, the radiating kindness?"

Edward shifted, uncomfortable with this sudden turn of conversation, "No."

"It's fine," She said softly, "You'll feel it soon, and then you'll understand how nice it is just to be in that place. You're new, but I know you'll fit right on in with all the people who do the kindest things, but all in the shadows. That is the way of ninja."

Something about what she said, spooked Edward out. The picture she painted, was so realistic it almost made Edward's heart hurt, and made him want to stay in Konoha…. Edward shook his head harshly. No! He couldn't, he had to get back to Amestris!

"Oh!" As if realizing what she had just said, Miss Sarutobi's eyes widened, and she jerked back apologetically, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to get into a rant about Konoha."

"It's fine," Edward grunted, and then, realizing he was being rude, cleared his throat, "I mean, it's obvious you love Konoha. That's nice to hear."

Once again, that reminiscent smile spread across the woman's face, "Yes, it is lovely. But that must be a bore to you. After all, young men these days are always wanting excitement, it's us old people that want of home."

"You're not old!" Edward protested, "You can't be over 30!"

Miss Sarutobi blinked at him, and then laughed, "Ha, you're not a bad judge of age, and I'm glad I don't look old to some people, but I'm afraid being in my profession and having a child has given me numerous grey hairs."

"You have a kid?" Edward spluttered in surprise.

Mrs. Sarutobi threw an amused look at Edward, "Why yes, his name is Konohamaru. He's my pride and joy."

A mother then…

Edward felt his heart soften even more, if that was possible. Mothers were nice, kindly creatures, and didn't deserve to be treated ill.

Mrs. Sarutobi chuckled, "Ha, what's with that dopey expression Edward? Please don't tell me you think that I'm incapable just because I've been pregnant once."

"It's not that," Edward said softly, twisting and untwisting the cloth of his cloak, "I've seen a mother have a baby before. It was the most amazing thing. How could a mother so easily give life when so many others have tried so futilely before? It's… humbling."

"You…" Mrs. Sarutobi sighed, her voice low, "It's I who should be humbled, then. Constantly, you kids are surprising me with your insights."

Edward gulped, why was he sharing his thoughts so easily? Peeking up at her, he took in her kindly face, her gentle expression, her tender eyes, trying to analyze what had made him talk when he had only ever shared his thoughts with his most trusted companions before. And suddenly, with a feeling of cold, hard dread, he realized. Even though they didn't look anything alike, all her manners, her actions, reminded Edward of Trisha Elric.

Mom…

Edward's throat closed, and he shook his head frantically. No, he knew that Mrs. Sarutobi wasn't his mother, and it was wrong to think of her as that. Plus, they had only known each other for a week. It was wrong and weird. Why in the world did he have a sudden flashback? Was he this homesick?

Mrs. Sarutobi must have picked up on the same vibe, because she quickly started to distract him, "Hey, you know, you remind me a lot of this boy I met on a C-rank mission…"

She started talking, and Edward was all too glad to focus on her words. That way, he wouldn't have to listen to the black thoughts slowly starting to creep up on him. Surprisingly, soon he found that he didn't even have to force himself to listen to her anymore. She was a natural storyteller, and Edward found himself drawn into her stories despite himself. She told of a C-rank mission gone bad, a funny B-rank where they had to escort a drunk princess, an overpaid A-rank, another C-rank where their client was mute, and back to a B-rank again…

Before he knew it, the cart jerked to a stop. Uchiha and Hikari managed to stay in position due to their abilities as ninja. Edward was not so lucky. The blond was flung from his seat, landing facefirst in Hikari's lap. Uchiha's lips twitched.

Spluttering, Edward jumped back up, his face red with embarrassment, "I'm- I'm sorry ma'am. I didn't mean to- it wasn't-"

Hikari's clear, musical laughter rang through the air, "Please, don't worry about it. My son does that all the time, and I feel that it's the cutest thing ever."

If possible, Edward's cheeks turned even brighter. Quickly looking away, the blond flung open the carriage door, "Hey, let's get out of here then."

Nodding to himself, the blond hopped out of the coach, followed by a smirking Hikari and an amused Uchiha. No sooner than they had gotten out of the ride, they came face to face with a thin, beady-eyed Grass nin.

The ninja bowed, "Greetings, I am to be your guide to Grass for today. Please, allow me to show you around."

Nodding, Uchiha gestured for the foreign ninja to lead. But the Grass nin didn't move. Hesitantly, the Grass nin glanced at Hikari. Uchiha's eyebrow twitched, and Edward couldn't suppress his smirk.

Hikari smiled benignly at the Grass ninja, but her eyes were sparkling with an inner amusement, "Thank you for taking care of us. Please lead the way."

The Grass nin nodded, and gestured towards the large building that they had stopped in front of. "This is your hotel for the next three months, one of the best in Grass. Your room numbers are 201 and 202. I am sorry that there are only two, but we did not expect a third member of your party, and this hotel only accepts reservations. However, if you have any problems…"

"Not at all," Hikari cut in, sounding amused to no end, "Edward, Itachi, you boys have no problem with sharing a room, do you?"

"None at all," Uchiha stated in that normal, infuriating monotone of his.

Edward narrowed his eyes; well if Uchiha didn't have a problem, he didn't either. Stubbornly, he shook his head.

"Good, good, and once again I am sorry for the inconvenience. Now, onto the next part of town…" The Grass nin showed them around, rattling off bits of history as he did so. Edward found himself drawn in despite himself; the Grass nin was really good at what he did.

When they got to Grass's main library, Edward couldn't help himself. They'd been traversing the town for a good hour, and though it wasn't as if Edward was tired or anything, now that he saw the library he couldn't help but feel as if he had wasted time. Did knowing the history of some foreign nation help him get home? No! And he needed to get home.

"Hikari-san," Edward said as soon as the group was ready to move to their next destination, "Could I stay here for a while? We've been to the academy, and if there's anything interesting, you can always tell me about it later. Today, I'd really like to…"

"Sure," The kind woman agreed readily, "We'll stay too, and wait for you."

Edward blinked; uh-oh, that wouldn't be good. Hikari had never seen his reading habits and well… "I'm not sure if that's such a great idea. I mean, I'd love for you to stay but…"

"What he means is," Uchiha cut in as if it were an everyday occurrence, "When he starts reading a book everything around him is cut off. He could be here for quite a while, and we should leave and explore the town for ourselves. We can rendezvous at the hotel."

Edward glared. Yes, everything Uchiha said was correct, but the black haired ninja didn't have to put it like _that_. Now Edward sounded like some sort of incompetent bookworm.

"Oh but," Hikari sounded a little worried, "I am supposed to be your chaperone…"

Edward sighed; damn that Uchiha. Now he couldn't refute what the black haired boy said if Edward wanted Hikari to feel assured. Edward straightened his belt, and nodded towards the older woman confidently, "I can take care of myself, Hikari-san."

"But still, you never know what…" Hikari glanced at the Grass nin, "Um, I don't mean to say that any of your ninja will ambush us, but who knows what might happen to a young foreigner?"

"None taken," The Grass nin said politely, "What your charges say is correct, though. The journey from here to the hotel is not very far, nor dangerous. Even civilian children should be able to make it to your hotel with no problem."

"Well… alright then," Hikari gave an exaggerated sigh, but then threw a wink at Edward the moment the Grass nin's back was turned.

Edward's eyes widened, and he couldn't help gaping at the three's retreating backs. The sly fox! Hikari had purposefully let the Grass nin think she was worried so they'd underestimate Edward and Uchiha's abilities! He didn't know she had it in her.

Making a mental note to never get on Hikari's bad side, Edward turned back towards the endless rows of shelves, and started at the nearest one. Time/Space jutsu… time/space jutsu… ah, there they were! Now, which book hadn't he already read…?

* * *

Katsu Kurkawa was a man of many things, and one of his most distinguishing qualities was perhaps, his seemingly endless patience. That was probably the reason why he was the only one who could travel with Mikio, who could pick a fight with a butterfly.

So far, it had been fairly peaceful; they had gotten out, and were now eating at a dumpling stand. There were various customers spread out across the long table, and even a soldier of the army, but somehow Katsu had managed to keep Mikio from picking a fight with any of them. Perhaps they would live this day in peace.

At least, that's what he thought, until the blond kid showed up and order three bowls of dumplings. Richly furnished in black and red, the kid seated himself right beside them, a fierce scowl on his lips. It was a noble then- and an angry one at that. Katsu sighed; Mikio had a _thing_ against nobles, more so than the rest of them.

Sure enough, Katsu's stout companion leaned forwards, a leer on his lips, "Why're you so grumpy kid, couldn't find your mommy?"

The blond instantly turned towards them, his golden eyes narrowing, "Oh no, you don't want to pick a fight with me. The stupid Liberian kicked me out because she thought I needed an adult guardian or something, and I am _not_ in the mood to talk."

Mikio sneered, "Just a regular little arrogant noble then. Don't you ever think that others might actually know something? Think you're the top of the world, you are."

Now that wasn't really fair, though Katsu knew where Mikio's frustration came from. If he looked around, he would immediately see about a few dozen beggars littering the streets, and at least five closed shops because the owners couldn't pay the high rents. The nobles had gotten out of hand in the past ten years- the same amount of time the Daimyo had been in power, actually. Common folk could hardly make a living anymore, and it was only the people who bribed that got any sort of protection.

Still, blaming a random kid -even if the kid needed the lesson- was not the way to go. Katsu reached out a hand, ready to stop Mikio's tirade before it progressed to anything dangerous, when the blond's next words froze him.

"Oh, how mature," The blond rolled his eyes, giving Mikio a hard look. He didn't even turn away when the shopkeeper came and delivered the mouth-watering food. "It's obvious you've got some sort of problem with some type of person, and apparently I fall into that category. But look fatso, yelling at a _kid_ won't solve your problems."

How decisively… mature. Despite the blond's claims that he was short on temper, he still managed to make a diplomatic remark? This wasn't like any other ten year old child Katsu had ever seen, nor like any other noble either. The grey eyed man's curiosity was piqued.

Mikio blinked, "Are you trying to give me advice, kid?"

The boy snorted, spinning in his seat to face his bowls of dumplings as he deftly picked up a pair of chopsticks. "It's against my code to help idiots."

Mikio flushed red, jumping off his seat and raising a fist in anger, "Why you little-!"

"Hey, hey, calm down. It's just a kid," Katsu decided it was finally time to step in. The exchange had been interesting, but anything more, and he was afraid even he couldn't restrain his tempered companion. "He looks like a nobleman's son; you really don't want to harm him, do you?"

Mikio let out a deep breath, but sat back down obediently. Good, it looked his companion was finally starting to learn. They didn't come out to make trouble, after all.

Katsu also went back to eating his dumplings, his long brown hair covering most of his face, but secretly he kept his eyes on the blond haired child. He had a feeling, that the supposed noble-man's son was more than he seemed. He was rewarded for his observations.

"That stupid guy," The blond grumbled between mouthfuls, his words muttered almost too softly to hear. And if Katsu hadn't been paying as much attention as he was, he was sure he wouldn't have heard it. "Ugh, he's as bad as that Uchiha, in his own way. If I were still home they'd never get away with this! They'd come to fear the name of Fullmetal Alchemist! As of now I need to learn the jutsus though…"

Katsu sat back, a thoughtful look on his face. Jutsus? The Fullmetal Alchemist? Uchiha? Just what in the world was this kid? No, it probably wasn't important, but Katsu found himself intrigued nonetheless. This was a nice break from his tiring; this was a nice little mystery that could be quite relaxing.

Well then, what did Katsu know about the things the boy mentioned? He knew ninjas used jutsus, so was this boy a ninja in training? But somehow that didn't quite fit: after all, what noble would allow their son to become an assassin? Unless this boy wasn't the heir, and therefore had more freedom? Perhaps that Uchiha the blond mentioned, was his older brother?

So may questions… and then there was the 'Fullmetal Alchemist', what exactly was that? Just a nickname? That seemed most likely. Lastly, the Uchiha… why did that name sound so familiar…?

Just then, his thoughts were cut off by a loud crash.

The soldier had stood, slamming his hands on the table. Katsu's bowl rattled with the motion, but thankfully Katsu was able to catch it before it crashed to the ground. Beside him, he saw the blond boy do the same. Still, now the soldier had his attention.

"What is the matter, mister?" The shop tender kindly asked, quickly making his way towards the solider, "Is there something else you need?"

"Something else I need?" The solider sneered, leaning in close to the stand owner until the tips of their noses were touching, "How 'bout, I find your food dissatisfactory?"

The stand owner startled, steeping back a step, "But- but sir! You ate… you ate five bowls!"

Mikio growled beside him, but Katsu shook his head in warning. They were not here to make a scene, though… if Katsu had to admit it, even he was feeling a bubble of anger towards the soldier. But, they could not afford to stumble here, not for the good of their nation. So, silently, Katsu watched the scene unfold.

"Are you trying to argue with me? 'Cause you know, I am a soldier of the Daimyo, and he wouldn't take too kindly to a commoner messing with us."

The shop owner's eyes hardened, but then he quickly bowed his head. His voice bitter, he turned to leave, "Of course not, the Daimyo has long abandoned us common folk."

The soldier grinned, putting his foot on one of the stools and leaning forwards mockingly, "Was that treason, old man? But hey, if you let me eat here for free from now on, I might just consider not telling. After all, even if it's bad food, it's still food. Hehe… you'd better make sure your servings for me are the best quality from now o- ow!"

Katsu had enough; forget about restraining Mikio, he'd gladly rip the solider limb from limb. This was the type of person he hated most; the type who took advantage of whatever situation they were in, regardless of the state of their peers. It set his blood boiling. It was people like this that allowed tyrants to live!

But it seemed, that someone got to the soldier before him. The blond boy from earlier wore a smirk, sitting casually on top of his table as he twirled his remaining chopstick between his fingers. The soldier rubbed the side of his cheek, where the other chopstick had skidded past, and glared at the blond, "Apologize."

The blond's grin grew wider, and somehow, Katsu knew there was going to be trouble. "I'm sorry… I meant to hit your eye. I guess my aim still needs working on; but to be fair, I've only been learning for a month and a half."

The soldier growled, kicking his chair away and taking a menacing step towards the blond. Face set in a snarl, the soldier drew his sword, its harsh metal blade glinting dangerously in the sunlight.

Mikio made to stand, obviously wanting to help out the blond, whom he now saw as a friend, or maybe he just wanted part of the action. Katsu stopped him. Mikio gave him a questioning look, but sat down anyways, far too trusting of Katsu's motives.

The truth was, Katsu had seen something very interesting, something he had missed before, and now he wanted to see how this scene would play out. Really, he should have gotten the hint when the blond mentioned Uchiha, -for how could Katsu forget about that prestigious clan- but to be fair, Katsu would have never in a million years suspected…

Grinning, the blond hopped off the table, his cloak twirling past his shoulder, revealing the swirly crest of Konoha on his belt. Immediately, the boy set himself into a fighting stance, "Now, I've met the master of swords, and I admit, I could hardly land a scratch on him. Question is, are you nearly as good?"

Roaring, the soldier charged, swinging his sword wildly in the air. Customers shrieked, and dove out of the way, clearing the shop. Only Katsu and Mikio stayed, one observing the scene with a curious eye, and the other waiting for permission to join in the melee.

With a fierce grin, the blond jumped, too quickly for the soldier to follow. Flipping through the air, the little boy landed in a crouch behind the now off-balance solider, sweeping his leg out as soon as he touched ground. The soldier didn't stand a chance. Literally.

Katsu imagined he would have thought this were funny if the scene weren't so prudent to his nation. A little kid was beating up a war veteran, so to speak, but then again, the kid had an advantage the idiot soldier still had not noticed. But then, Katsu supposed, the solider wasn't exactly forcing the kid to reveal his secret.

"Why are you helping him?" The soldier asked weakly, staring up at the eleven year old child standing over him, one foot at the base of his throat, "He's just some stand owner."

"Helping who?" The blond raised a brow, and gestured towards five overturned bowls at the foot of his table, "I'm simply taking revenge for you ruining my food. You slapped the table so hard that it fell. Now, pay me back."

Groaning, the soldier dug around in his pockets, pulling out the appropriate amount of money. Shakily, he handed the money towards the blond, and with a nod of satisfaction, the kid let up his foot. Flushing with fear and humiliation, the soldier scrambled up, and quickly scurried away.

The blond didn't even look at him. He examined the money, then making a face, threw the coins on the counter, "Actually I don't even want the money; it feels too dirty. He was a horrible swordsman after all- gives a bad name to people like Lin. Here's a tip, old man. Your food was good."

The blond turned to leave, but he hadn't taken three steps, when Katsu caught up with him. Immediately, the blond stiffened, casting a wary glance at the brunette, "Do you want to fight, too?"

Mikio grinned, showing all teeth, "Yea."

"No." Katsu said at the same time, then seeing the blond's look of confusion, sighed. "No, but I want to know something. Obviously, you were trying to help the old man, so why did you pretend otherwise?"

"What do you mean by that?" The blond asked suspiciously, continuing his walk away from the dumpling stand. "Don't go assuming things; I seriously was pissed off at that guy for destroying my lunch."

Katsu followed the blond step by step, "Please do not try to fool me. I saw you catch your bowl, and I know you only ordered three, not five. You were obviously trying to get the solider to pay back the stand owner. So, why hide it?"

The blond growled, stopping midstep and whirling around to face the brunette, "Why does it matter to you?"

"Because," Katsu said thoughtfully, clasping his hands behind his back in a scholarly manner, "I have a feeling it's because you don't want the soldier to blame the shop keeper. You were already thinking of what would happen if next time you weren't there, and the soldier came back. Pretty impressive, for a ten year old."

"I'm si- I'm eleven! Don't belittle me!"

"I mean nothing of the sort," Katsu compromised, "I simply mean, it seems like you're a kind person, but your actions right now aren't going to have any long lasting effects. Do you know right now, most of the population of Grass is suffering like that old man at the dumpling stand? Soldiers of Grass often abuse their powers, nobleman even more so. Regular Grass citizens hardly have enough to eat, and they only get poorer. I have a feeling you don't like seeing that."

The blond shifted uncomfortably, and Katsu knew he had hit the mark. This boy, despite still being a child, knew all about the suffering under a tyrant. It was part of being ninja after all, to see suffering and to do nothing about it, but Katsu somehow felt that this boy was different. He was banking on it.

"If it's that bad," The blond grumbled, crossing his arms and turning away. "Then why not just start a rebellion?"

Katsu felt his lips stretched into a wide grin. My, my, the boy and he thought so similarly it was almost scary, "Why Mr. Ninja, we already have."


	4. Four

Chapter 4- Betrayal

"-the money we are gaining greatly surpasses the losses!"

"Yes, yes, I will keep that in mind. Now please, I need my rest." With a sigh, Kazuhiku Hayashida closed the door to his study, shutting out the face of his business partner. Stress lines etched on every inch of his face, the middle-aged nobleman walked tiredly to his chair, and collapsed in it. He buried his hands in his face, his voice coming out muffled, "Damn old geezers, why can't they see that if they continue with the mines, just more and more people are going to get killed? Grass isn't that kind of country! Agh."

Ox. Horse. Rat. Snake. He was satisfied with his observation. Not that, he would have had much a choice if he hadn't; he had accepted the job after all, and nothing should stop him from doing it. Still, he felt a lot better about helping a good man than an evil one. No… if he had felt that Hayashida were hiring them for evil purposes, he would have dealt with the noble accordingly. That's what the Hokage had meant by 'take care of it' after all. It would have been all too easy to make Kazuhiku Hayashida's death look just like the other ones that had been going on recently. No matter how much he distained killing, he would do it if it saved the lives of many.

But right now, he didn't need to let his mind wander to his darker thoughts. Hayashida was a good man, so none of the scenarios that he envisioned needed to take place. With a determined nod to clear away the rest of his straying thought, Itachi jumped down from the roofs and greeted the nobleman.

Hayashida jumped about a foot in the air, and Itachi had to strain himself to force down the smile that was crawling up his face. "Guards! Guards!"

"There's no need to call for them," Itachi said easily, bowing, "I am after all, someone you hired."

It was then, that Hayashida seemed to catch the leaf symbol etched on Itachi's forehead protector. He instantly relaxed, bowing in return, "I'm Kazuhiku Hayashida, but it seems as if you already know that. Are you the messenger?"

A trickle of annoyance slithered up Itachi's spine, "_I_ am the one you hired. Ninja are not judged by age, but by ability. We decided it was beneficial to come as exchange student- much less suspicious."

"What? Someone as young as you shouldn't be ANBU, and that is what I paid for!"

"Well I-" Itachi took a breath, calming his nerves. What was wrong with him? Was it because he had of the conversation he had with Edward last night, and his emotions were still loose? That wasn't good… Itachi needed calm in able to deal with his clients. "Please, allow me to prove my skills to you before you judge."

"It's not that!" Hayashida ran a frustrated hand through his hair, "It's just- you're so young! I thought Konoha was moral, but letting kids become ninjas…!"

"That is how all ninja are raised. Surely Grass is the same way?"

"Not until they're the age of an adult! We don't let our children graduate until they're 14!"

Itachi felt a small smile drift across his face. That was a nice concept, and he was glad that yet another thought so strongly towards preserving innocence. Still, that peace was not for himself. Perhaps he would talk with Hayashida later on, but right now he needed to get his mission details, "I agree that this is nice, but this is how things are. I am simply a soldier, and arguing with me will create no changes. Please, let us move on."

"A soldier-!" Hayashida sighed, shaking his head, "You're a kid too, don't forget that. But alright, let's move on. Now first of all, how did you get in here?"

Itachi's smile fell from his face, "Your security is laughable Hayashida-sama. Any ninja could easily get in."

Well no, not _any_ ninja could get in, but any competent jounin could, certainly. Personally, Itachi hoped that Hayashida would take his warning to be more careful to heart. The world didn't need to lose any more of its peacekeepers.

"Very well," Hayashida nodded easily, "You're the expert here. Alright, onto our next order of business. I suspect that one of the higher nobles is killing off anyone who opposes them, including other nobles. Now they're doing extraordinarily well, since not a lot of people have picked up on this, and even I didn't suspect foul play until… well, it's a personal matter really, but don't worry, it's not relevant. Let's just say I got a tip-off from a trusted friend. Anyway, he just warned me to stay secure, but of course I couldn't do nothing while people were being killed…

"So, I hired Konoha nin, because I didn't know if I could trust any Grass ones. You came at a perfect time actually. Just yesterday, another noble -Iriye- has been killed. Apparently, some servants heard a bang and went running to the scene, only to find Iriye's body broken at the bottom of the stairs. Nobody wanted to touch it, so they're getting a professional to go pick it up. I suspect it'll still be here tonight, and gone tomorrow, along with all the evidence."

Hayashida was a very shrewd man. Itachi wouldn't have guessed.

"This could of course," Hayashida continued, starting to pace, "Be completely unlinked, but I'd like to get it checked on the off chance that it isn't. If somebody is plotting to overthrow the Daimyo… no, that's too ridiculous, but I can't see what else can be gained from killing all the nobles systematically like this, unless this person is trying to destroy the Daimyo's support. And the Daimyo cannot afford to be destroyed! Grass is in need of structure, and a rebellion would only bring chaos… Anyway, please ignore my ramblings, and just report to me of everything you find."

Itachi nodded, used to the commanding tone, and quickly left. He found Iriye's house easily enough, though getting in was not so easy. Still, he was ANBU, and he had the advantage of a bloodline. Added to that, the Grass ninja weren't nearly as trained as Konoha's nin.

The room reeked of death. Itachi quickly covered his nose, activating his Sharingan so he could see through the darkness. Instantly, the room became as bright as day…

Itachi's eyes widened.

There, on the floor beneath the stairs, lay the silk covered body of Iriye. His elbow was bent at an odd angle, as if he landed on it the wrong way and broke it before he broke his head. His hair was fanned out towards the living quarters, a silk blue hairband still holding the very ends of his hair together. A bloody hand splayed out beside his broken head, as if he were reaching for something but couldn't quite reach. His limbs askew, Iriye did indeed look like he had just fallen from stairs, and if Itachi didn't know there was fowl-play involved, he would have never had guessed. This was big coming from someone well-versed in the arts of killing silently. Itachi stalked the corpse, looking for some kind of clue- anything.

And then he saw it; there was a little rip in Iriye's blue night shirt. Why would there be a little rip…? Itachi quickly scanned the stairs, but found no tell-tale piece of blue cloth stuck along any of the steps. Where…?

Eyes widening, Itachi quickly bent down, undoing Iriye's hair. With shaking hands, the red-eyed Uchiha unrolled the blue 'hairband', and quickly read the bloodstained contents. With every word, his breath got shorter, and Itachi felt his world become stiller.

_I have heard something downstairs; and I fear that it is the one who is killing off all my comrades. It may come to be nothing, but I write this as a precaution. Dear reader, know that if I am dead, then the murderer is…_

* * *

"…then the handsign for rat, the deceitful one. Watch closely… Henge (Transform)!" A cloud of smoke surrounded the academy instructor, and when it cleared the red haired man was no longer there, replaced by a quiet, cowed looking little boy.

"Wow…"

Uchiha glanced over, his bored eyes gaining a curious glint to them. Edward assumed that it was because Uchiha had little to be curious about in Grass Academy. After all, though some of the things the instructor was teaching were new to Edward, Uchiha would have no doubt learned about them before. However, they had to attend class as part of the charade that they were exchange students. Edward's aggression towards the boy had gone down since coming to Grass, where he found that most ninja were the same if not worse, and now Edward even felt a little bad for him. The worst thing for Edward was being bored. And if Edward had to admit it, even he was bored sometimes, having already read much of the theory of chakra in books. Uchiha's situation was not one Edward envied. Still, this time…

"The Henge," Edward breathed, watching the instructor with enraptured eyes. At Uchiha's slightly confused look, Edward couldn't help but expand. At the moment he couldn't have cared less that Uchiha had a problem with morals and was an all-around bastard; here was a person puzzled and willing to listen. It was the scientist in him. "It's an amazing array of particles and wave patterns. As you know, colours are caused by wave patterns, and the pitch of a voice can also be adjusted using these frequencies. Somehow, the founder of technique was able to induce a state in which the user can simply think of the colours they want to project, even if they know nothing about the physics of how it's done. Instead, using handseals, the thoughts they have are projected as waves, thus creating the image they want. I would have never thought of this in a million years. The person who created this was amazing."

"Oh?" Uchiha blinked, a slight frown appearing between his eyebrows. The dark haired boy turned back to the teacher, examining the academy instructor slowly, a small, interested glint entering his eyes, "I'd never thought about it like that…"

"Well I guess since you've been surrounded by it all your life…"

"But why would the waves not extend past a certain point?" Uchiha mused aloud.

"What?"

"Your theory is fairly sound, but if the mirage were simply caused by wave particles, would the surroundings not also change?" the Konoha ninja asked calmly, "If one were to say, imagine that they were a certain person, and associate a background with it, would reality's background not also change? What would stop the waves from affecting everything besides the person in question, especially if the wave frequencies for sound are able to reach another person? This leads me to believe that Henge is perhaps caused by reflection of water molecules of the sunlight, causing different colours to arrange themselves in patterns which form the specific image."

Edward was thoughtful for a moment, "Good point, but what would cause the water molecules to spontaneously arrange themselves…"

Their debate went on. Sometimes, one of them would take several minutes before they could think of a counter, while at other times the reply would be instantaneous. It was never outrageous, though. Not one suggestion _couldn't_ have worked, but both of them seemed to be searching for the perfect answer.

And then the bell rang.

Edward glanced at the clock, blinking. He hadn't realized three hours had passed. Had he even paid attention to the teacher while whispering to Itachi? It was almost like being absorbed into his books, expect this book could argue right back, could actually disprove of Edward's theories.

It had been… surprisingly fun, now that he thought back on it. He had never really had someone on the same intellectual level as him; well, who would talk to him, anyway. As bad as this was to think, even his brother had not matched him- not really. Sure, Al was smart, but Al could never contradict Edward's theories and force him to refine his proofs. His theories and perceptions could finally be presented now, without being looked down upon and with an equal amount of input. It was… nice.

He almost snorted at himself for that thought; he didn't _do_ nice.

Itachi rose gracefully, head tilted towards the door as the stream of academy students all rushed out, "Where to lunch?"

Edward almost fell over in shock at the question, but managed to thankfully stay upright. In the past week that they had been attending the Academy of Grass, Edward and Itachi had almost completely ignored each other, eating lunch in completely different areas. Now… the cold ice prince was asking him?

Well… it sorta made sense Edward supposed. He was feeling amiable towards the dark haired Uchiha, and perhaps Itachi was feeling the same towards him. Besides, lunch would be a great opportunity to continue discussing their theories. And… there was one place that Edward had been meaning to visit.

"Satran District," That was the name, if Edward remembered correctly. He ruffled around in his pockets, pulling out the crumpled map he had been gifted with, "South of here."

Itachi nodded, and bounded off towards the direction indicated on the map. Edward rolled his eyes; well, the Uchiha may have become amiable, but he still didn't know how to wait for other people. That was fine though, because Edward didn't like waiting either.

Putting the map back into his pockets, Edward bounded after the Uchiha, relishing in the new ninja techniques he had learned in the past month. Just applying a little bit of chakra to a certain area like the legs, could make so much of a difference in speed! Edward couldn't help the slight grin that spread across his face.

The grin faded however, as he neared his destination. The rustle and bustle of Grass seemed to come to an abrupt halt as he finally made it to Satran District, the noises of life and laughter dying down. Itachi stood in front of him, his fists clenched and his body trembling lightly. Edward worriedly took a step forward, and almost had to squeeze his eyes shut as a wave of strong stench assaulted him. His eyes watered, and his nostrils stung, but Edward took the step forwards anyway to Itachi's side, and it was then that he saw what Itachi's body had blocked his vision from.

"Who…" Itachi's voice was hoarse, shaken, "Recommended to you this place?"

People lay on the sides of the streets, pale and wrinkled, skin dangling loosely from their frail bodies. Children lay everywhere, bellies bloated and plump while the rest of their limbs looked like yellow bones. Flies were everywhere, probably due to this blasted humidity, circling the people and feeding off their sick sweat. What…?

Edward staggered back, almost tripping over his own feet as his mind flashed to the day that he went to visit Lior. Blinking away tears, Edward stumbled forwards, landing on his knees in front of a plump bellied lady, who's arms and legs looked as thin as the pencil Edward had been using at the academy.

"Who did…" Edward gulped, not really able to stand the intense look the lady was giving to him, "Who did this to you?"

The lady gazed at him for what seemed like eternity, before she tilted her head up, looking instead to the skies. When she finally spoke, her voice was coarse, as if she hadn't used it in a long time, "We have always been like this. I have a disease, a weak body. Grass has no use for people like us. This is simply one of the districts where we are kept."

Edward sucked in a deep breath, falling back at the woman's words. There were more? Distantly, he registered a hand holding him by the arm, pulling him up. Edward looked up with dull eyes, and Itachi didn't look much better. This had been hidden from them, obviously, maybe because the Daimyo was embarrassed, or simply didn't want to be looked down upon. This had been going on while they were happily chatting in the academy.

Edward stood, nodding towards Itachi in thanks and brushing off his clothes. With one last glance at the people of Satran District, Edward turned away, walking back into the lighter parts of town; he hated the concept but… he hated how the people of Grass were treated even more. He could not afford to keep living in the past. He needed… he needed to contact Katsu.

"Who recommended that place to you?" Itachi asked again as soon as they were in a more secured area. His voice was back to being a monotone.

"Katsu," Edward murmured distractedly, "Of the rebel forces, I think."

"Rebels…?" Itachi froze in his tracts, then narrowed his eyes. He grabbed onto Edward's arm, practically dragging him as the dark haired boy ran towards their hotel.

"Hey! What do you think you're doing?" Edward demanded hotly, unsuccessfully trying to tug his arm back. Itachi had a strong grip, and Edward's body wasn't quite as muscled as it used to be (would become?).

"To the hotel room," Itachi stated in a voice void of emotion, even as he jumped over carts with Edward still in his grip, "Talking about such matters in public would be stupid."

Edward opened his mouth to protest, then realized that Itachi was right. He _had_ been an idiot for bringing up rebels in the middle of the street. If they'd continued with the conversation, surely some drunken idiot would have heard and reported it to the wrong person.

But seriously, did the Uchiha have to drag him all the way there?

Edward was about to _ask_ Itachi to release his arm, when he realized that they had arrived. Itachi released his arm without being prompted, and Edward realized he had nothing to say against that. Huffing, he followed the Uchiha to their room.

As soon as he got in, Itachi closed the door, shutting it with a slight click as it locked.

He turned to Edward, his expressions serious, "When did you meet the rebels? Tell me everything."

Edward wanted to snarl. Itachi was a kid, younger than him even! He didn't _have_ to tell Itachi anything.

Itachi seemed to have realized where Edward's thoughts went to. "Forgive me, I did not mean to demand the answer from you, but do realize that this is an important matter to Konoha."

"Why not just tell Hikari-san, then?" Edward grumbled. Here Uchiha was again, acting like an adult even though he couldn't have been more than eleven years old.

Itachi's expression closed off. "Rebels have nothing to do with our mission, but I can tell that you want to get involved. I simply wanted to warn you off it, if it could potentially harm Konoha."

Edward tensed, then snarled, "How could you say that? You saw those people! How could you forbid me from helping them?"

"Do you know, Elric-san, what a war looks like?" Itachi asked in a flat tone, "Have you ever seen one?"

Edward hesitated, and thought back to Lior. Yes, he had seen one, and it wasn't pleasant.

"So you have…" Itachi's eyes were dark, "I had wondered if you were too isolated to see the Third Great Ninja War. It's not pleasant is it, war? You must realize that if you aid the rebels, a civil war is what will result."

Edward clenched his fists; he knew that, but… but…! "We can't sit around and do nothing!"

"It's not our concern."

Edward growled; actually growled. He took a breath, telling himself to calm down. It wouldn't do to strangle the kid in front of him. Still… Edward snorted, "What hypocrisy. You say that you don't like war, yet by your logic, if Grass started a war, you wouldn't prevent it either."

"That is up to Grass to decide."

"Alright," Edward said slowly, trying to push down his building anger "So then why do you even care what I do about Grass?"

Itachi turned away, looking at the window rather than at Edward's face. "It is not our place to meddle. It could reflect badly on Konoha if you were discovered."

Edward rolled his eyes, "Then all I have to do is deny all involvement with Konoha, right? I'm not even a ninja of Konoha, really. I think it'd be easy to pretend that you were just keeping an eye on me and then this happened, so Konoha wouldn't get the windfall of the responsibility. There, Konoha gets off almost scot-free."

"Why are you so insistent on helping Grass?"

"Why are you so insistent on avoiding help? You saw those people there! And I know you weren't as unaffected as you'd like to pretend."

Itachi hesitated, then— "You are wrong, I can be perfectly unaffected."

"You mean you can act like it," Edward snorted, "But you don't really feel that way, do you? So why won't you help?"

Itachi's reply was soft, and surprisingly not without emotion. It bespoke of hidden pain, hidden tragedy. "You cannot help everyone in the world."

_Bull_ was Edward's first response, but hearing Itachi's voice made him reconsider his words. Itachi didn't sound like a kid who was just repeating philosophy because he thought it sounded cool. Itachi was… And then, Edward remembered what Itachi had said about the Third Great Ninja War. How old had Itachi been at the time? How could he have been affected?

Edward sighed, as he realized that he didn't really know anything about the world of ninja, after all. He'd been so quick to judge, so quick to point out their flaws. Killing? Uncaring? No, Itachi had demonstrated he was far from uncaring about life. Edward had simply assumed, when he had known nothing about the ninja world. He did not know anything about Itachi's reasons, either. Itachi, a kid who didn't know anything and tried to hard to act like an adult? No, it was Edward who had been immature.

And it was time to stop acting like a child.

"No," Edward replied finally, the anger drained completely from his voice, "You cannot help everyone in the world. But if you don't try, how can you hope to change the world at all? Stuff's probably in other parts of Fire Country, but I don't know about that. All I know right now is what's happening in Grass, and once something is in front of me, I can't abandon it."

There was a long moment's of silence. And then—

"The Third Great Ninja War occurred when I was four years old, but I still remember it as if it were yesterday." It was Itachi, his voice softer than Edward had ever heard it before. "People came back with missing limbs weekly, and people you used to see everywhere were suddenly no longer around. No one laughed, no one joked; the air was always tense and suspicious glances were cast everywhere—even at family members. I do not want to see war again."

The other occupant of the room swallowed, remembering Lior. He did not particularly want to see a war again, either. Itachi moved away from him, walking towards the large apartment windows. They oversaw the streets of Grass; abet the nicer ones. Itachi stopped there, looking out towards the chattering people as they passed by each other on the streets, blissfully unaware of how badly their lives could turn.

"If the rebels cause a civil war, I will annihilate them myself, so that the civilians will not have to suffer for the mistakes of the few. However…" Itachi paused, turning back around. His eyes were burning with a fire Edward had never seen before, a fire that Edward found surprisingly familiar. "If you think that by joining the rebel forces you can prevent a civil war, then I will help you to the best of my ability."

Edward blinked, surprised at the sudden turn of events. He felt something tug at the edge of his lips, and realized that it was a smile. Maybe Itachi wasn't so bad, after all.

* * *

"How can you be so sure?" Itachi demanded forcibly, flinging Edward's shirt towards the ground. What Edward was suggesting… was absolutely ridiculous. While Itachi respected Edward's intelligence levels, Itachi was starting to have doubts about the blond's common sense.

"I trust them! And you should too! We've known each other for two months now!"

"Two months isn't enough!" Itachi growled, "They could still be playing us for the fool, especially since we don't know the full situation here!"

"They aren't!" Edward said stubbornly, his face dangerously red, "I've been meeting the rebels for two months and they all care about Grass! They only want the best for it!"

"But what about Katsu?" Itachi grounded out, wishing the other boy would just see his point. "You've admitted to me yourself that he's a slippery one. He's the head of the rebellion, and who knows whether he's just misleading the others or not. I've checked his record- he's an old Grass ninja!"

"I know; you've told me, _Katsu's_ told me. He says it's because he doesn't agree with Grass's military policy, and that's partially the reason he started the rebels group in the first place."

"Do you really trust him?" Because Itachi didn't. When he had met Katsu, he knew right away that he would never trust the man. Katsu had a hidden agenda in everything that he did, and Itachi had a bad feeling that it pertained to them.

Narrowing his eyes, the blond nodded, "I do."

"But you know what information I told you," Itachi said tiredly, "Kazuhiku Hayashida, the noble who hired us- he's nice towards the civilians, seems to sincerely care for Grass, and trusts the Daimyo completely, yet…"

"Yeah," Edward sighed, the energy draining out of him as he slumped back against the wall. "I know."

"So can we really trust Katsu Kurkawa? And what if we do get involved, then what? We are Konoha nin Edward, first and foremost. If we help Grass in a rebellion, Konoha will be held responsible, and the international consequences will be colossal. I've let you get away with meeting the rebels so far because I thought you wouldn't be doing anything of importance, and therefore not reflecting badly on Konoha, but that they actually want to move…"

"We ditch?" Edward shook his head, closing his eyes. "Not going to happen. I know it'll cause lots of deaths and stuff, if the rebellion goes through, because there are still citizens who want to support the Daimyo. They still have loyalty to the nation, after all. I'm trying to keep that casualty down, while still trying to induce change, and Katsu is as well. We're not blood-thirsty barbarians Itachi."

Having spoken his piece, Edward stopped talking, waiting for Itachi's retaliation. This was always the way they debated, and Itachi knew eventually one of them would finally see the error of their ways and go with the more logical solution. But of course, there were many times when neither of them could convince the other that their solution was more logical.

"War is a horrible thing, I think we've both witnessed that," Itachi looked away, his eyes not really seeing the blond in front of him anymore. He thought of the wreckage he found outside of Konoha's walls- the people who had insane with bloodlust; people who had never picked on a cockroach before. The screaming that Itachi had thought was normal, until war ended. He didn't want to bring that to Konoha again. With an inward sigh, Itachi turned back to the blond, hoping against all hope that Edward would see the consequences of helping Grass. "I think it is best to forget this journey, We can't afford to drag Konoha in this too. We'll tell the Hokage about the political situation, and of our incapability to complete the mission, and then…"

"Wait a minute! Listing them together like that…" With a large grin, Edward grabbed onto Itachi's hand, ignoring the shocked look in the black haired boy's eyes. Without warning, Edward started running, tugging Itachi after him. Of course, Itachi could probably go faster, but not if Itachi had no idea where they were going.

They raced down the streets, and finally, into an old, beaten down pub. The bartender looked up at the sound of his doors, raising his eyebrows when he was met with the sight of two eleven year old boys. "How may I help you?"

Edward grinned, slamming the door shut behind him, "I want only the best of Grass; it's unfortunate that the best is only offered in so little places."

The bartender's brows rose even higher, but he nodded anyway, and motioned for them to follow him. They had after all, said the password. Edward did so readily, but Itachi was not so inclined.

"They changed places again?" Itachi asked, feeling annoyed behind his blank mask. The rebels were paranoid, and perhaps that was a good thing, but… "Why did you not tell me?"

"I figured that you wouldn't come without me anyway," Edward shrugged, and held on tighter to Itachi's wrist as he felt the brunette pull away, "Hey! Stay for a while won't ya? I've thought of something interesting."

Itachi raised his eyebrows, feeling just a slight bit intrigued. Well, he supposed it couldn't hurt; it wasn't like Edward would be leading him to his death. Itachi never would leave a mystery if he could help it. They finally made it to the staffroom, and the bartender rolled up the rugged brown carpet. Underneath it was… nothing. Or maybe not nothing.

"Where is it?" Edward asked with a frown.

Itachi's eyes slowly bled into the familiar red of Sharingan, and the eleven year old child took two steps forwards. Lifting his foot, he kicked at the now visible hatch, and jumped through. Itachi landed gracefully, the cosy staffroom disappearing as the surroundings changing into a dimly lit, underground cellar. A moment later Edward dropped in after him, landing in a crouch.

Edward rolled his eyes, glancing around the room with distaste as he slowly stood again, "Man Katsu, you could've afforded better rooms. This place is downright gloomy."

A loud laugh rang through the air, and Aki -another rebel- stepped into the light. He grinned at Edward, "I admit, I don't agree with our hideout this time either, but Katsu says it's just temporary."

Itachi stiffened, his mind racing at the implications, "Temporary… as in less than two weeks?"

Aki gave Itachi a sly look, "Well, we've got to act while we've got you two here, don't we? Ninjas are so hard to come by these days."

So then, Katsu _was_ planning for Konoha to take the fall. After all, what could two eleven year old ninja do that a whole rebel army couldn't? But before he could say anything, Edward clamped a hand over Itachi's mouth, ignoring the glare the dark haired boy sent him, and the laugh that bubbled out of Aki.

"Take us to Katsu," Edward ordered, removing his mouth from Itachi with an apologetic look. Itachi didn't look at him.

"Fine, fine," Aki grinned, turning from them and walking away, "For you."

"I'm leaving," Itachi informed Edward quietly. He was going to inform Hikari, like he should have done, and ask her to help him drag Edward back to Konoha. It stung to have failure, and to need to ask for an adult's help, but this time it was needed. Itachi was not so stupid as to not recognize his own weaknesses.

"Wait," Edward hissed, latching onto his wrist again. Itachi glared, but Edward simply grinned in response, "You can leave after, okay? For this whole rebellion thing… I have a plan."

Edward didn't say anything after that, because Aki engaged him in a conversation, but the blond didn't need to. Itachi was intrigued. He had to admit that Edward had some interesting ideas, and with the rebel leaders to help smooth out the finer details, whatever the blond was thinking of just might work.

It wasn't as if Itachi didn't want to help Grass. He liked Grass's situation as little as Edward did; Itachi simply was less vocal about it. He hated seeing the children on the streets, hopelessness in their young eyes. Woman driven to do… less savoury things in able to survive. If Edward's plan isolated Grass, Itachi would definitely help him.

But if it wasn't isolated… Itachi felt his fists clench. He wouldn't let anything happen to Konoha, he couldn't. The village that was his home, the place that had offered him sanctuary. The Hokage with the same ideal of peace, and the wits to get it. The place where his brother resided…

Itachi would listen to Edward's plans, but if the time came… Itachi would only do what was best for Konoha.

* * *

"Quick! To the second wing!"

Hidden by the shadows, Edward listened as the guards ran towards the blazing second wing of the palace, giving a silent word of thanks to the rebels. It would cost them, he knew, but he hoped that it would be worth it. No, he _knew_ it would be worth it. Besides, if all did go according to plan, no one would even lose their lives. It was a simple break in, set fire to an important place, then quickly get out. Their spy had provided them with guard clothing, so they should be able to get out easily.

Then, Katsu had gone one step further, and issued a command to all the rebels to start a riot in St. Peters Square- the largest market place in Grass. The rebel army numbered… well, Edward wasn't too sure on the details, but he was quite sure it was a lot. Funny how many people were dissatisfied with the Daimyo's rule. Then again, if there weren't that many people, Edward wouldn't be helping the rebels. Thinking about that, it was time for Edward to concentrate on his own job.

Adjusting his stolen outfit, Edward moved out from his hidden corridor and quickly started running towards the first wing. In this confusion, hopefully no one would care where a lone guard was going, even if they noticed. After all, people were running everywhere, and it was very dark out.

He easily slid into the Daimyo's personal dwelling, the knowledge once again, provided by their very useful spy. Heh, being in the center of an organization was great. There were two guard there, but Edward easily knocked them out. He was after all, a well-known fighter in Amestris, and he had the element of surprise on his side. It was almost pathetic how easily the guards were taken out. Why hadn't anyone tried anything with the Daimyo before?

Keeping his footing as soft as a newborn kitten's, Edward slowly crept towards the Daimyo's sleeping quarters, deftly avoiding any patrols coming his way. With his skill in Alkehestry, it was no problem to sense people before they appeared. It was almost too easy.

He should have known that nothing ever went easy for him. When he opened the door to the Daimyo's sleeping quarters, he was instantly pinned to the ground, the breath being knocked out of him. More of a reaction than anything else, Edward kicked upwards with his left leg- the one that should have been metal. Of course, it wasn't, but it did its job.

His attacker grunted, but didn't let up his death grip on Edward's neck, making the blond see stars. Instead, Edward felt familiar cool hard metal press against his throat, and instantly knew it was a kunai. Edward froze.

The lights flickered on, and Edward had to blink several times before his eyes could adjust. Gritting his teeth, he squinted up at his attacker, and felt his eyes widen, "You-"

"Good job Itachi!" A high, ratty voice rang out, and a tall man stepped within Edward's vision. Dressed in elegant robes and with an arrogant expression on his face, Edward instantly knew that this was the Daimyo. "You really were telling the truth after all!"

"Of course, Daimyo-sama," Itachi replied in a monotone, still poised with his kunai to Edward's throat, "Grass and Leaf are after all, allies. Will you please keep your end of the bargain, and keep Konoha out of this? After all, this person was only being tested to see if he were trustworthy. He failed."

"Of course," The Daimyo let out a high pitched giggle, "I would never think of blaming Konoha. We all have our black sheep, don't we?"

"Itachi you-" Edward let out a chocked breath, "You betrayed us- how dare you-"

"I think the correct thing to say is," Itachi's voice was flat, his red eyes boring down without the slightest hint of guilt, "_You_ betrayed us. Our mission was to stop the murders, not to assassinate our ally."

"But, the people!"

Itachi shrugged, as if this were no great concern to him. Edward gritted his teeth at the display; why couldn't he-! As if taking their silence as the end to their conversation, the Daimyo giggled once again, "Now, now, Elric-san, the people are doing fine. This is my country after all. Now tell me, were you a great part of the rebellion? You must have been, if you staged this whole scene tonight, and all the rebels followed you. Itachi, what do you know?"

The traitor simply nodded.

"Great!" The Daimyo clapped, "Kisuke, Manto, take Elric-san to the cellars; I want to personally interrogate him later. After all, not many people try to come and assassinate me personally. Plus, I want to know _all about_ the rebels. I need to think of appropriate punishments after all…"

To his dismay, Edward noted that there were two other ninja that he had never noticed. Probably, these were the Daimyo's real guards, and if the Daimyo hadn't wanted to rub in Edward's face the fact that he had never stood a chance, he probably would have been killed before he could enter the Daimyo's household. Edward looked up to Itachi with resignation, and for the first time he saw something akin to guilt flash across the black haired boy's face. In an instant though, it was gone, and Itachi raised his other hand in the form of a fist. A splitting pain lanced through Edward's head, and then everything went dark again.

When Edward awoke, he was in his least favourite position. Hands bound behind him, he was once again in a dingy cell, the cool underground air making him shiver slightly. His clothes had been ripped, just to make sure he wasn't concealing any hidden weapon, and his head was still throbbing from the blow Itachi had given him. Ugh, didn't that boy know how to hit lightly?

He didn't know how many hours he spent like this, but finally, blessedly, he heard the sound of approaching footsteps. The Daimyo had arrived.

Edward glared up at the noble, "Isn't it a little dangerous for you to come here by yourself?"

The Daimyo let out a tickling laugh, and glanced down mockingly at the eleven year old. Purposefully, the Daimyo let his eyes drift to Edward's bound hands, his torn clothes, his hazy eyes, "You really do overestimate yourself don't you? Please, I don't need a guard to deal with a kid. Now, tell me about the rebellion army, and I might consider letting you off easy. You are a kid after all."

"Like hell!" Edward spat, "I'm not going to betray my friends just to save my own skin!"

The Daimyo's eyes hardened, "So, I'll have to torture the information out of you, hun?"

"You'll never get the information at all! I won't betray the people of Grass like this! I've only been here three months, but three months is enough! It's disgusting how the people are living; and you don't even care!"

"Well, that is true," The Daimyo replied lazily, waving a hand dismissively, "I don't really care about the people, as long as they pay their taxes. It's true that I only want to further my own wealth, and the speeches I give about a better future are just pure rubbish that'll keep the civilians obedient, but hey, has any leader ever cared?"

"Yes," Edward gritted out, "_Good_ leaders."

The Daimyo shrugged, "And then they always get overthrown someway or another by powerhungry nobles like me, don't they? _I_ have no wish to be overthrown."

Slowly, Edward felt a dawning horror fill up his being, "You're… you're the one that's behind all the killings aren't you? The random accidents that's happening to the nobles? You've been killing anyone who's opposed you."

The Daimyo blinked, then let out a pleased laugh, "Ah, so you've figured it out have you? Such a shame that your friend hasn't. He's told me all about your real mission you know; it's too bad he never suspected the Daimyo. But then, I suppose who would? Yes, I killed them, I killed them all! I can't have anyone disagreeing with me, I can't! But, I couldn't have anyone suspect me either, so I ordered the deaths of some of my loyal followers as well, so that no one would suspect me."

"That's too overboard! It isn't even the rule of a monarch anymore; it's the rule of a tyrant! You're killing your followers too; it's not safe to be around you!"

"Maybe," The Daimyo giggled, "But I'm safe, and that's all that matters. I really don't care if this country falls to crumbles around me, as long as I'm living nicely…"

"You're disgusting," Edward spat, "Really, really disgusting. If anyone heard you…"

"But thankfully, they haven't. And no one would believe a rebel who tried to assassinate the Daimyo, so don't even try to tell anyone. Not that you can, of course, because really, I think I'll have an especially painful punishment for you."

"What will you do?"

"For riling me up?" The Daimyo looked to be thoughtful for a moment, then let out a vicious smirk, "Well, you're rather pretty, aren't you? And rather young. Now, I'm not into that type of stuff, but a lot of my soldiers are. And trust me, they aren't gentle. After they're done with you, I'll let my team torture you some more. We've just got these new branding toys, and I'd love to see your skin get flayed. Finally, after you won't even know your name anymore, I'll sell you as a slave to the Kastrian slave traders. Ah, you've heard of them? Good, then you know that they won't be… ah, _easy_ on you. Then, when you're actually a slave, you can live out the rest of your days in relative peace with half a piece of bread a weak."

Edward turned pale despite himself, "Would you… really do that to me?"

"Of course, nothing less. In fact, that'd be going easy on you. You don't even want to know what I'd do to you if you don't cooperate. You should not have messed with me, boy."

"But the- Kastrian slave traders?" Edward's voice was starting to sound desperate, but he couldn't help it, "Won't people consider it odd that you're suddenly meeting them? I mean-"

He was cut off by a loud, high pitched laugh from the Daimyo, "Odd? Oh my boy, I've been meeting them secretly for years! Surely you've heard the rumours of girls suddenly disappearing from this village? Well it's true! I get my ninja to kidnap them, sprouting some nonsense about how their parents have committed treason. If their parents object, I execute them. Perfect for me, no?"

"You're- you're-" There were no words Edward could use to describe this. Even Cornellio had been better than _this_.

"Yes, me," The Daimyo said mockingly, twirling around with his arms wide, as if he were proud of the fact. "And the best part is, no one suspects."

"You're wrong," Edward murmured quietly.

"Excuse me?"

"You're wrong," Edward repeated again, "People do suspect; at least, our spy did suspect."

The Daimyo stopped twirling, giving Edward a fish out of water expression, "What?"

"He suspected," Edward raised his voice, "He suspected, and so he told me! So, I was able to try and lead you to that point in our conversation!"

"What are you… talking about?"

"But you're right," Edward continued as if he hadn't heard, his golden eyes sparkling fiercely, "You're right in that the common people didn't suspect you, and that is why they still follow you. But now, no longer!"

"Just what are you insinuating!" The Daimyo demanded, his face red.

"I'm saying," Edward couldn't help the grin that spread across his face as he looked over the Daimyo's shoulder, "You really shouldn't have underestimated us."

The Daimyo whipped around, shocked. Itachi stood behind him, his eyes spinning with their familiar tomoes, and a barely perceptible smirk on his face. He inclined his head at Edward, and then the wall behind him shimmered out of existence, revealing the thousands of startled faces behind the well-crafted illusion.


	5. Five

A/n: Wow, I have never written a harder chapter. Getting a blend of prodigal maturity and childish emotion for Itachi was not easy.

Disclaimer: Don't own Naruto, FMA, or Vagrant Soldier

Chapter 5- The Festival of Fire

"And so he had to resign," Edward chortled, grinning at the other three occupants of the carriage, "If he didn't want to get trampled by the raging people. For once, I'm glad to be underestimated. Bought a lot more sympathy points for me when the citizens heard what he was wiling to do to an eleven year old. Though… it was annoying getting hugged by random ladies who wanted to be sympathetic."

Itachi snorted. Yes, the aftermath of the whole Grass incident was actually quite funny if one thought about it. The Daimyo had been furious at the incident, but there was nothing he could do about it but resign from his post and past the title of 'Daimyo' onto one of the other nobles- this one elected by the citizens. After all, when the former Daimyo had revealed his true intentions, there was not one citizen ready to stand by him, and a rebellion would look like a true possibility. Then, if the Daimyo had been overthrown, he would have been hard pressed to keep his life let alone his wealth. It was a smart move on the former Daimyo's part to step down and instead live his life as a regular noble.

Hikari frowned slightly, "Edward… Itachi… not that I'm not proud of what you two did, but it really wasn't on our job description and…"

Itachi felt a sad smile flit itself across his face despite himself. Wasn't on his job description to act and pretend to be loyal to someone he was not? Ha, it didn't matter that he had done it at Grass. Itachi acted everyday at home, anyway.

"Please," Katsu cut in, his voice soothing, "We are very grateful for what they have done. But, we will make sure not to mention your involvement in our recent 'rebellion' if you do not wish it. I'm sure everybody in Grass is too thankful to argue much about it."

"That would be nice, thank you," Hikari smiled, "Although our Hokage will approve, our clients sure wouldn't. It would be best if no one outside of Grass knew. But mostly, I'm just worried; boys, that was really dangerous. What if it hadn't gone according to plan? Then Edward… you really would have had all those things done to you…"

Itachi shook his head, "Unlikely. Our plan was perfect. While Edward was sleeping in his cell-" He ignored the indignant cry of 'and who's fault was that?' "-I was peppering up the Dai- former Daimyo and making sure he would respond exactly the way we planned it. Our information was quite accurate, and very trustworthy. Mine and Edward's minds are not to be messed with when we're planning, especially since we had six rebellion elders approve it. There was a 6% chance it would not work, and on the off chance that it didn't, I had planned to rescue Edward myself."

"Geniuses," Hikari muttered, "I'll have grey hairs soon. Really, I hope my Konohamaru is quite average; I have a feeling he'll have a better chance of surviving if he is."

The carriage came to a halt, and Itachi glanced curiously out the window, wondering what the matter was. Edward followed his lead, while Hikari simply smiled.

"Ah," Katsu actually sounded surprised, "It's that time of year already?"

"Yes," Hikari replied, her voice soft, "It's the Okibi festival, where citizens gather yearly in Garan Town to celebrate Fire Country's prosperity and hope for another great year. Edward, Itachi, you've never been to it before, have you?"

Both boys shook their heads, their eyes still fixed on the crowd of bustling and happy people. Though, one of them was being less obvious about it.

"I was the clan heir," Itachi's voice was quiet, coming out a bit more wistful than he would have liked, "I did not have time for these things."

"Well," Hikari's voice was determined, as if she had just made an important decision, "That settles it; we're staying here for one day."

Both Edward's and Itachi's heads whipped around, two sets of eyes staring at the Hokage's daughter disbelievingly. "That's… irresponsible."

"They won't mind if we're a few days late," Hikari smiled, "We'll just say our ride got stuck in the traffic, or something. Come on, live a little. I know both of you are dying to see it."

"I'm not!" Edward huffed, but his straying eyes betrayed him.

Itachi didn't even bother with an answer.

Hikari opened the door to the carriage, and jumped out, "I suspect the traffic's great, and that's why our carriage isn't going. It'd be faster if we walk, actually."

"Ah?" Katsu sounded a little distressed, "I would like to stay but…"

"Duty calls," Hikari smiled as the two boys jumped out after her, "Well you are the new head advisor to the new Daimyo, so getting you off for one day to send us off like this is really enough."

"Are you sure you three cannot stay in Grass for one more day?"

"We've overstayed our due already."

Edward hesitated, then gave Katsu one of his most promising stares, "We'll come visit. Show us a transformed Grass when we go there again."

"Yes," Itachi stated blandly, as if it were an obvious fact, "And now, your leader needs you."

"Yes," Katsu sighed, but Itachi thought it was a rather content sigh, "Well, goodbye then. You must come visit."

With that, the door to the carriage slid shut, and the vehicle quickly rolled out of sight.

"We didn't get the chance to say our goodbyes," Hikari noted sadly.

"Hm?" Edward grinned, "Nah, that's just a man's way of making sure that we'll meet up again so we can repay our debts and finally say goodbye."

Hikari gave Edward a look of amusement, "A man's eh? Well nonetheless, let's get going. We don't want to miss the festival."

Without warning she reached out and grabbed onto the two children's hands. Itachi tensed at the contact, but Hikari ignored it, and started happily walking towards the village. They passed a number of carriages on their way, all lined up to go into Garan. As they drew nearer to the prosperous town, it became increasingly obvious that there was a festival going on. Fireworks exploded on and off, evidently being tested to see if they could be used for the night. Babbles of voices and the background of happy chatter quickly filled Itachi's ears, signalling the festive mood the whole town was in. Itachi didn't even notice that he had relaxed.

Wait hold on a minute… was that onigiri with seaweed on it?

Hikari seemed to have noticed his inattention, or rather, the attention to a certain stall present on the side of the streets. She smiled, letting go of Itachi's and Edward's hands now that she knew that they weren't going to escape, and walked up briskly to the vendor, "May I have three onigiri please?"

The vendor nodded, wrapping up the foods which Hikari ordered and exchanging them for small bronze coins. Hikari came back, pushing one onigiri in Itachi's hands and the other to Edward, having already taken one herself, "Here, this is really good. You two should try some; after all, only the best vendors make it to Garan for the Festival of Fire."

Edward flushed, "I couldn't-"

"Nonsense," Hikari chided, "It's a festival today. It's all about the spirit of giving, isn't it? Besides, wasn't all the money you used in Grass also given to you by someone else?"

"But-"

"No buts Mr. Elric, you will accept my gifts today and that is that. Now eat."

Edward obediently did so, looking a little scared of the woman, but Itachi was not so easily convinced. He was after all, the heir of the most prominent clan of Konoha, and unlike Edward who had came to Konoha with little to no money, Itachi was probably one of the richest ninjas in history. He reached into his pockets.

Hikari's fingers wrapped around his wrist, stopping any further action. She looked at him severely, her voice stern, "What did I say about the spirit of giving?"

"There is no need for that," Itachi replied calmly, not one to give into somebody else, no matter what their sex, "I have money, possibly more than you."

Hikari shook her head gently, "I don't care about money; whatever you two spend today will be less than a day's pay of my salary. Don't worry about such trivial things. Surely you can appreciate that?"

Itachi wavered slightly, thinking about the older woman's logic. It was true, in the long run whatever amount of money Hikari spent on them would hardly matter, and Itachi could pay her back at any time. It wasn't as if Itachi was averse to owing people things, and it would make Hikari happy today…

"So, eat your onigiri, it's getting cold."

Itachi hesitated, but in the end the thought of wasting perfectly good onigiri won out in the end. He tenderly took a bite, abiding by all Uchiha manners, relishing with each mouthful the delish taste of the dish. Smiling at her relatively subdued charges, Hikari once again took off, this time not even needing to grasp onto the two children's hands to make them follow her.

"She's scary," Edward shuddered as Hikari stopped at another outdoor shop to purchase _something._

"Well, she is the Hokage's daughter," Itachi muttered through half lidded eyes.

The three of the them spent the next few hours in happy bliss; looking at various items (though Hikari was the only one who bought anything), attending amazing events (Itachi admitted that he'd never even seen a ninja able to bend _that_ way), and tasting amazing treats. It was all things Itachi had never done before, that he couldn't even dream of doing. Why hadn't his parents ever taken him to these festivals? Ah yes… because they had not the time. If he had a spare moment, he was expected to train with it, to be the best he could be. He was clan heir, after all…

Quickly, Itachi snatched his mind out from the traitorous corner of his thoughts. The past was the past, and he was a genius ninja. Of course he could not have the same things regular civilians did. It was a small prize to pay for the ability to keep peace. As for now, it was a true blessing he even got to experience this festival at all.

"Man," Edward glanced at Itachi, looking as if he were fighting down a grin as he walked, "I love this place. I've seen… things I never had before."

"I agree," Itachi nodded as he licked his lollipop, not quite understanding what was so funny, "It's a very interesting experience. I have never-"

Just then, Hikari tensed.

Itachi turned to her, immediately turning serious. He himself was not the chakra sensing type -very few people were- but Hikari was. "What is it?"

"Chakra signatures," Hikari hissed, "Three of them. Just on the outskirts of this village; in the forest, I think. And… I think I can distantly hear the clashing of jutsus. They're fighting."

"Do we want to get involved?"

"Perhaps it is best to check it out. This is after all, Fire Country, and if there is a Leaf nin there, we need to help him."

The three nodded to each other, and raced off towards the direction of the sounds. Finally, they arrived at a small clearing not too far from the town, but still far enough to be unheard. Hikari jumped to a tree, and Edward hid himself within nearby bushes. It was almost odd how quiet Edward was being, since he wasn't ANBU like Itachi and Hikari was, but Itachi was glad for it. With a quick glance upwards, Itachi jumped to a high tree branch, looking down on the scene with a critical eye.

The first thing he noticed was the young boy, probably just a little younger than himself. Ash blond hair framed an angled face, which although hadn't lost all its baby fat yet, showed the face of a well-trained ninja. The shadowed green eyes seconded the opinion, though now they were filled with fear. Tied to a tree, the young ninja struggled frantically, as the two older men battled in front of him.

One was wearing a simple peasant robe, but his movements were anything but peasant-like. With a mixture of wind techniques and furious slashes with his sword, Itachi already knew that the peasant-like man would be a hard ninja to face. The other was wearing a dark red cloak, covering his body from head to toe, and sported six swords at his sides. They were definitely jounin level, and Itachi even had to activate his Sharingin to keep up with them. He had to admit, their sword techniques were amazing.

Just then, the dark haired peasant ninja lunged for the boy, distracting the other adult with a spray of shuriken. The robed one didn't give him a chance; jumping up, the robed ninja dodged the weaponry completely and let fly one of his swords, "I can't have you trying to save your apprentice already!"

The sword whizzed past the dark haired man, who dodged just in time. The blond boy bit his lip, and lurched forwards as if he could do something, "Master, don't go to your right, it's a patch of thorns!"

"Too late!" The robed man shouted, kicking Kiron soundly on the chest, and knocking the dark haired man backwards. The plainly clothed man fell into the patch of thorns, letting out a grunt of pain.

"You- you bastard!" The kid cried, his expression a mix between anger and helplessness, "You call yourself a human being!"

"You should be more careful from now on," The robed man warned, ignoring the kid completely as he uncapped something in his hand and brought out a long string. Using the two clips at both ends, the robed man attached the string to two of his swords, holding it delicately like nunchucks. He brought up one hand, looking like he was taking aim, when suddenly-

Blue lightning flashed, and four spikes of earth arose from the ground around the robed man. The robed man jumped back, startled, and looked around for the source. Obviously, he'd been too occupied with the peasant man before, but now he was sure to notice the three Konoha nin's presence.

Uchiha did not swear. They had been brought up better than that, and although Itachi had plenty of partners who had colourful mouths, he himself had never been brought into their midst. Right now though, Itachi could actually see the attraction in using profanities. There were really, no other words to describe Edward's stupidity.

He had interfered in a fight that was not Konoha's.

Itachi decided to contend himself with a sigh. Edward was much too impatient. When they got back to Konoha, he'd have to make sure somebody taught Edward the actual _values_ of being a ninja. It was more than just picking a fight. It looked like the blond hadn't learned anything from their three month stay at Grass's academy after all.

The robed man's eyes finally fixated on a spot in the bushes, "You- who are you?"

The bushes ruffled, and Edward stepped out, his arms crossed and his expression fierce, "Someone who has a heart, obviously. Fighting somebody and winning- that's okay. Fighting someone and winning through threatening his family? That's _not_ okay."

The robed man sneered, "Who are you to dictate what's okay and what's not?"

"It's just common etiquette bastard," Edward's eyes flickered to a spot behind the robed man, but they quickly focused back on the swordsmaster. Still, it was too late, and the robed man noticed.

Spinning around, the robed man sent a sword flying towards the peasant man, who was dashing towards his apprentice, "What did I say about rescuing him, Kiron?!"

Itachi sighed again, and released the chakra needed for his jutsu. He had already made the seals, in anticipation of when the robed man would just get impatient at Edward and attack, but he supposed using it to save this 'Kiron' would be just as good. After all, wasn't he the reason they were in this situation in the first place?

The string of fire looped around the string, burning it away. The sword lost its control, and buried itself far from any harm. Whipping around, the robed man glared up at Itachi's hiding place as Kiron finally made it to his apprentice, "How did you burn that? It was made from steel."

"Not very strong steel then," Itachi commented lightly as he jumped down from his tree branch, casting a bored look at the robed man, "That was only a B-classed fire jutsu."

"Hm," The robed man seemed to be scrutinizing him. Underneath the hood, two fiery red eyes gleamed, but somehow Itachi knew that they were not the same grade as his Sharingin. "I see… you're Konoha nins; so why then, are you helping him? Kiron of the Whirlwind, surely you've heard…"

Ah, so that was why he sounded so familiar. Itachi nodded, thinking back to the bingo book he had read so many times before, "The Kiron from Kirigakure (Hidden Village in the Mist), who was known for his deadly wind jutsus. He was one of the Seven Swordsman, but he retired just six years ago, though no one knew why. The Mizukage was so pleased with his work that he gifted Kiron a precious sword, one of the most valuable swords in all of the Land of Water."

"Your knowledge is not bad kid," The robed man sneered, then turned to face Edward as well, "Heh… it looks like I'm meeting quite a bunch of interesting kids today. It's a shame that all your hopeful futures will end here!"

"No, it will not." The one who spoke wasn't any of them. Itachi gazed beyond the robed man's shoulder, meeting the eyes of Kiron, of the Whirlwind. The plainly dressed man was walking amiably towards the robed one, his apprentice freed and ready by his side. The black haired man raised his brows, "I will not let it."

"Big words," The robed man cocked his head, "For one who has not fought in six years. Or perhaps, you're feeling confident now that you outnumber me?"

"No," Kiron shook his head calmly, his voice gentle, "Young men, please leave. You are no match for him. I only ask one favour- take Ares with you."

"No! Master!" The blond boy clutched onto the edge of Kiron's pants, "I don't want to leave you! I can fight too!"

"Ares…"

"We're not leaving," Edward snorted, "I mean, this robed dude's impressive, but not _that_ impressive. We can take him down."

Itachi frowned slightly. Yes, he was confident that they could defeat this man, but it would never do to underestimate the enemy. Arrogance spelled disaster.

The robed man let out a low chuckle, "Kid, do you know who I am? I am one of the current Seven Treasures of Kiri- the Red Eyed Swordsman!"

Edward shot Itachi a questioning look, obviously not knowing if this was bad or not. Itachi didn't pay the blond any attention, too intent on the information the robed man had just revealed. One of the current…? His mind flashed back to the bingo book, trying to scourge any knowledge on the Red Eyed Swordsman. This man was a ninja who collected treasures from anyone he killed, and killed for those treasures.

"So you've figured it out?" The robed man sneered, "Heh, looks like you're too scared now to attack. Tell you what, since you've got nothing that I need, I'll let you guys live if you run right now."

"Were you sent here by Kiri?" Itachi asked, raising his eyes to the heavens. Edward shot him a startled glance, but Itachi also ignored that.

"Eh? No. I just heard that Kiron was last seen here, and I wanted his sword. I'm not here on any diplomacy meeting."

"Good," Itachi clasped his hands behind his back, his face expressionless, "Then that means that I can kill you without worrying about starting a war with Kiri."

"Why you-!"

The swordsman put his hands together for a jutsu, but before he was able to create any seals at all, Itachi once again released his. He hadn't been idle while the robed man was talking, and the fingers behind his back had been quick in making their correct moves. The earth beneath the robed man rose before he could react, enclosing the swordsman so that he couldn't escape. A split second later, a shower of senbons rained down from the treetops, hitting every inch of the robed man. The Red Eyed Swordsman stiffened, then slumped over in unconsciousness.

Itachi dispersed his A-class jutsu, watching dispassionately as the Red Eyed Swordsman fell forwards, every inch of his upper body covered with senbons. He wouldn't live, Itachi knew that. He and Hikari would have to get rid of the evidence later. After all, it wouldn't do for Kiri to start blaming Konoha on the loss of one of their Seven Swordsman. With a sigh, he turned to Edward, the one who had dragged them into this mess in the first place.

But Edward wasn't where he was a moment ago. The blond had already run over to the two other ninja, checking them over with a furrowed brow. Kiron had collapsed, and the little boy was wringing his hands desperately, shooting his master worried looks.

"Can you- is it possible to- can you heal him?" The boy stuttered, giving Edward a pleading look.

Edward frowned, "I'm not a healer…"

"But I am." Hikari jumped out from her treebranch, landing gracefully without a sound. She was in ANBU for a reason, after all, and she was not the Hokage's daughter for nothing. Hikari moved to the Red Eyed Swordsman's side, and picked out all her senbon needles. Then, without wasting a moment, she flashed to Kiron, and immediately commenced operation.

* * *

They were in an inn now, having moved to a more appropriate place to heal the sick. It was a small little room, but it had a large window and was clean enough for a woman's tastes. A basin of water sat beside the chair, water warm from the amount of time Hikari had changed the head cloth.

Kiron was lying on the only bed, face pale but with even breathing. It had taken Hikari a while just to get him like that, but he had a strong body and perhaps an even stronger will. Even deadly Mist poisons couldn't seem to keep the man down. Finally, he stirred.

Black eyes opened, blinking the sleep from their lids, but they made no moves to check the surroundings. Slowly, the man arose from bed, moving to a sitting position.

Hikari shifted on her chair beside his bed, smiling, "So, you're awake."

"And you are?" His voice was mild, mannered, bored even. Hikari could tell that he was indeed an old warrior, and was already assessing her, even though he was... "Although I thank you for the help you have leant Ares and I, I cannot help but wonder your motives."

"They're nothing evil," Hikari replied in a kind voice, smiling slightly at the thought of exactly why they had interfered. Edward was a good boy, and she hoped that Konahamaru would grow up to be like him. "One of my young charges couldn't stand watching injustice, and so we decided to back him up ."

"Ah yes, I thought I sensed..." Kiron stopped, tilting his head to one side, "You are ninja."

It wasn't a question. Then again, Hikari hadn't expected it to be. "Yes, we are, and so are you."

The man tensed, so slightly that Hikari almost missed it, but in the end it couldn't escape a trained medic nin's eye. His voice was again, almost a monotone, "Yes, that is true. Have you come for my bounty too?"

Hikiar shook her head, her smile growing wider, "We have no need for things like that. Though I admit, this was the last place I expected to see Whirlwind Kiron."

Known for his highly destructive wind techniques and breathtaking sword skills, which made him one of the Seven Swordsman of the Hidden Mist. S-class ninja, went missing not long after the last Great Ninja War, presumed dead. Now, that was obviously not the case.

She couldn't help but recognize him when he fought, her mind flashing back to all those examination days where she had to dutifully note the ninjas that she had to avoid at all costs. When Hikari had seen the forest covered with wind marks, the familiar face from the bingo book, and the all too recognizable sword which Kiron carried... perhaps young ninja like Itachi couldn't tell, but Hikari remembered, and remembered well.

Kiron sighed, looking far older than he actually was, "So you have also heard of that name? Well, I'm not that Kiron any longer. I'm simply Kiron, the poetic hermit who learnt a few skills from a friend."

Hikari couldn't fight down the smile that threatened to break her face at that statement. "You've given up fighting... could it be for Ares?"

Kiron blinked slowly, as if contemplating something, then shook his head, "No, I retired before I met Ares. The Mizukage despatched me after I requested retirement, saying I have done enough for Kiri."

So he was not a missing nin then. That was rare. And, Hikari had a pretty good idea about why he had retired, if not for family. Although, something still didn't make sense with his statement... "Then why are you teaching Ares the ninja arts? Surely that is forbidden?"

A wry smile stretched across Kiron's lips, and he turned to fully face Hikari, black eyes staring unblinkingly at hers. "I've learned to fear women during my days; they're almost too sharp for their own good. Since you have healed me and requested nothing in return, despite knowing who I am and what I could give you, I will answer your questions truthfully. Yes, it is forbidden for me to teach Ares, and if Kiri found out about it I am sure they will hunt us down. However, I have found myself becoming strangely fond of that boy, and I wanted to teach him something to remember me by. Sadly, all I know if fighting..."

Hikari felt a pang through her heart. It was so sad. "So... are you planning to die, if the Mizukage ever sends hunters after you?"

Kiron shrugged, "Ares is a quick study, a prodigy some would say. I feel that soon, he will learn everything from me, and all that is left is to perfect things on his own. He won't need me anymore. I will only drag him down."

"Surely he won't think that way!"

"No," Kiron smiled wryly, "But that doesn't change the fact that I will."

"You won't! You're not that old, 30 at most, so age would not be a problem. And…" Hikari steeled herself for this response, "Ninja do not _need_ eyesight to fight."

Kiron froze, for a split second it looked as if he couldn't move, but then slowly he relaxed, "I should have guessed you'd know. You are a medical ninja, no?"

"Yes," Hikari replied in affirmative, "But don't worry, it wasn't that obvious. If I hadn't seen cases similar to yours, and examined your body while I was tending it, I would not have known. You hide it very well; at a glance no one would be able to tell that you were blind."

"Not yet," Kiron corrected, shaking his head, "Not completely. But, I will be soon. If you wish for my bounty then, you may come and collect it, but I wish to finish teaching Ares everything first."

Hikari narrowed her eyes, "I said I didn't want your bounty."

"Yes," Kiron smiled that wry smile again, "But how can I be sure of words in this world of deceit? One year, two years, come three years things may change, and Konoha may very well be forced to hunt down every last Mist nin, including the ones that had retired."

Hikari hesitated, but she knew she couldn't argue against that. It was true, after all.

Kiron cocked his head, "But you see why I would be dragging Ares down?"

"Surely he doesn't think that your blindness-"

"He does not know."

He…didn't?

"You should tell him," Hikari said softly. She had a feeling Ares knew anyway. Just before he had left, he had warned her to tell Kiron that he was wearing a green sweater should he ever ask, because his master was colour-blind. It was a cute little story actually; apparently Ares had seen the sweater in a window display, and later on Kiron had gone back to get it for him. By that time, they were out of stock for the green which matched Ares's eyes, but Kiron didn't realize it. Ares didn't want to hurt his master's feelings, so he happily pretended that the sweater was green. Itachi and Edward had taken it at face value, but Hikari didn't forget the way Ares had warned Kiron about the thicket of thorns.

"Bah," Kiron shook his head, "That child is much too soft hearted. He would never leave if he knew that I was blind."

"Why are you so adamant that he leaves? Why cannot he stay with you? He loves you."

"…maybe, but every parent needs to see their child leave, do they not? And I do not fool myself with thinking that I am as high as any parent."

"I believe that you are," Hikari argued, "You care for him as much as any parent would. I should know; I'm a mother myself."

"Ah… mothers. " Kiron had a slightly wistful tone in his voice, "Their love is something that cannot be replicated. No, please do not compare me with Ares' mother; it would be an insult to her."

"Surely not. You're-"

"She gave her life for him."

…_oh_. Hikari's mind flashed back to Tezuka, his strong and invigorating presence, his kind smile and inspiring laughter. His red red blood they day he had died, his horrid gurgling as she failed to save him. _Oh_. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be, I did not know her."

Hikari blinked, not sure what to think of that. She didn't quite understand, but then again, it looked as if she would soon. Kiron looked as if he was about to explain. Hikari quickly pushed the thoughts of Tezuka to the back of her mind, instead focusing on Kiron's words.

Kiron tilted his head up, his face gazing over memories of a night long ago, "It was a bright night. Full of moons and stars; a peace filled night. I was heading back to my home town, Mendigris, when I suddenly heard a loud yell. A child's voice. 'Mom' it screamed. I went to investigate.

"Ares was lying on the bottom of a cliff, though of course he wasn't called that at the time. There was blood everywhere, but he was alive. I brought him to my camp and tended to him, and that's when I felt another's presence. It was a missing-nin from Kiri, who no doubt was sent to kill the child and his mother. I despatched of him.

"When that child awoke, he had no memory of his past life, no memory of his mother's sacrifice for him. When we went to find and bury his mother, he did not know why. I decided that it would be better if he didn't know. He said a name 'Sebastian', but didn't connect it with himself, and I thought it would be better if he had a fresh start altogether, and waited until he was older before remembering the past.

"He wanted to be called the strongest guy in the world, Ares. At the next village I left him at an orphanage, but he didn't stay there. So now, he is with me."

Hikari closed her eyes, sending a silent prayer to Ares' mother. It was so very sad, and also intensely private. She almost wished she hadn't heard it, but stories like that were common in the ninja world, and she had asked for it. Now all she could do, was try her best to allow Ares to experience a tiny bit of the love of a mother in the coming week.

Privately, Hikari made a wish that should the time come, she would be as brave as Ares' mother.

But… for now she smiled. Kiron was rather adorable with his stubborn refusal to see his own good, "You are very kind. You could have left him easily with your skills."

Kiron smiled humourlessly, "It would have been kinder of me to leave him."

"Do not say that," Hikari scolded, "You have done a priceless thing by caring for him. Do not insult the value of taking time to care."

This time, Kiron's smile was a little more genuine, "I suppose I cannot argue with a mother. Tell me, where is Ares now?"

"He went to enjoy the rest of the festival with my two charges." After he had made absolutely sure that she wouldn't mistreat His Master. She still smiled at the thought. Ares was no more than nine, and when he tried to be intimidating with that adorable little frown of his- well.

Kiron closed his eyes in a contented expression, "Ah, so he's made friends."

Hikari giggled at that, thinking back to the past few hours, "Yes, Ares is quite the little typhoon. He practically dragged Edward and Itachi off when he realized that they didn't care that much about the festival."

He'd be good for them, she hoped. Edward and Itachi were both so serious, not at all like how children should be. It bespoke of a hard past, and Hikari's heart went out to them. Ares on the other hand, despite being a ninja was like a little bucket of sunshine. She hoped that Konohamaru would grow up like that.

Kiron's lips curled upwards ever so slightly, "Yes, Ares does seem to have endless energy. Nothing gets him down for long. I'm glad that he is able to enjoy a festival."

"Enjoying it he is," Hikari said teasingly, her senses picking up three approaching chakra forces, "Well, why don't you see for yourself?"

"Hm?"

Just then, the door burst open, revealing a dishevelled but smiling Ares, a scowling Edward in one hand and a carefully emotionless Itachi in the other. Still, Hikari noticed the twinkle in both Konoha ninjas' eyes that bespoke of delight, even when they didn't show it. Obviously, they had fun.

Hikari smiled, rising from her chair in a welcoming gesture, "How was your tour?"

Ares beamed, letting go of the two boys' wrists and bouncing up to the tall woman, "Mr. Blank-Face and Mr. Growls-A-Lot didn't want to do anything at first, but then I-"

The boy suddenly stopped, eyes widening as he caught glimpse of the black haired man who was now sitting up. The boy stood there for a long moment, looking as if he were unable to move, and then suddenly he lunged, arms stretched towards the former swordsman, "Master!"

Kiron stopped Ares just before the boy could engulf him in a hug.

"Ares," Kiron's voice was mild, "What did I teach you about manners?"

"Ah," Ares pulled back, scratching his head sheepishly, "Sorry Master."

"And such displays of affection is-"

"Good practice for espionage missions," Itachi cut in, his voice as impassive as ever. "If you were trying to avoid authorities, there is no better way than to act as father and son. Father and sons should be comfortable with a certain degree of affection."

Kiron's face didn't change, but this time when Ares went to hug him, the former swordsman didn't resist. Edward laughed. Kiron shot a glare at the blond (which was surprisingly accurate considering that he was blind) and the laughter instantly died.

Hikari giggled. All was going well.

* * *

A/n: I know it's weird that I use some Japanese words, but I can't seem to get around it. Some things like -kun, -chan, etc just don't have direct translations, and some things like nii-san just sound plain weird in English. So, I'll now have a little translator thingy at the top of every page, detailing what Japanese words I'll use in the chapter, and their meaning. I'll try to avoid Japanese whenever possible, because this is an English fic (I'm even using the English way of writing names, though I might forget sometimes) but some things can't be avoided. I personally think Konoha sounds better than 'Leaf', but as you can see I've been referring to Kusa as Grass this whole time. My reasoning is that all of you should know what the Five Great Ninja Villages are called, but not necessarily the small ones. So, I'll refer to Big Five with Japanese, and any minor places that I'll use for missions with English. Sounds good?

Just to clear things up, Ares & co are not mine. They are in fact, from another manga (which deal with swordsman by the way, not ninja). I wanted to write something with them too, but I didn't want to write a whole story, so I'm just giving them a mini-arc in this fic. That won't be until later though, and this chapter's more for transition than anything else but... the next chapter is my favourite of this arc, and I can't wait for it :)


	6. Six

A/n: FYI, lightning actually goes from the ground to the sky, but in Sasuke's battle with Itachi it came from the sky so I guess that's how lightning works in the Naruto-verse. =P

My, my, my, I do think this is my favourite chapter in Arc 1, though I'm afraid that some parts might be a little OOC. Also, I'm not sure I wrote the last part exactly how it played out in my head, and reading it over it seems a little weird... Ah well, we'll see how it goes.

**Onii/Nii**- older brother

**San**- polite form of address

Chapter 5-The Meaning of Family

_24 February, year xxxx_

_It's been a month since the mission at Grass, and the Hokage has finally deemed me trustworthy enough to cancel my 24 hour supervision. Itachi is relieved about this, though he has too much pride to show it. Just like that bastard Mustang. I swear, Itachi has no emotions! It's scary to think of a kid his age thinking like he does; I wonder if he wasn't hit on the head as a baby or something. Though, during the three months in Grass, Itachi had seemed to be getting better. And during the week with Ares, Itachi almost seemed normal. Ares had that effect on you. I'd never say this aloud, but since this is my travel log, and no one will read this… Ares is the most adorable kid ever, even though he's only nine. And he isn't annoying -thank goodness- like most kids his age are. Ares is… Agh! Enough, I sound like Hughes._

_Since I haven't updated this log in a while, I suppose I should quickly fill in the events of the past month. The Hokage has decreed me a trustworthy ninja after the Grass event, because he clearly sees that I have a good heart or whatever. So, Itachi's been taken off my back, and I can do all the research I want! (Well, I am supposedly a 'research jounin' after all, whatever the heck that means.) It's been a pretty calm month, though I've had one stupid mission. It was also with Itachi, because he's a chuunin so he has to do B-rank. It only lasted four days, but four days were enough. I'll never look at noblewoman the same way again…_

_And what have I been researching this past month? Well, ninja arts really. If I'm going to be in this world for a while, I'd better learn them. That encounter with the Red Eyed Swordsman or whatever really showed how… different ninjas were. I know my skills, and I'm not sure I could have taken him. Besides, all the time/space texts are getting confusing with their different references to chakra points and stuff. I think it'd be prudent to learn from the foundations of things. I'm still researching time/space techniques of course, but I've simply also added in ninja basics. Though, I'm a little beyond basics now. Still, something things must come with practicability, so I've enlisted Itachi's help on that. Something things after all, one can't learn without a teacher, no matter how skilled you yourself may be. Besides, if I can survive Izumi, I can survive an eleven year old child. It was humiliating asking him but… I'll do anything for my goals._

_-excerpt from Edward's Travel Log_

* * *

Edward blew a strand of hair out of his face, feeling a little annoyed. Why exactly, was he learning how to throw kunai when all he wanted was to learn how to perfect chakra? Oh yeah, because after Itachi had seen Edward's abysmal kunai skills, the dark haired boy had insisted on teaching it first to Edward, stating that it would be the blond killed if he couldn't properly aim a simple kunai. It was brutal.

Throwing a few at a specific target hadn't been too hard. After a few tries, and watching Itachi's demonstration, it had been easy enough to figure out. But now…? Itachi expected him to throw six kunai all at once and have them all land on a tiny, specified target? It was crazy!

Itachi seemed to sense Edward's annoyance. Looking at Edward through half lidded eyes, Itachi strode to the center of the clearing in the forestry training grounds, and shuffled out six kunai from his pouch. Then suddenly, he threw, one coming straight at Edward. Edward's eyes widened, but he didn't have time to dodge. The kunai was too fast for his body to follow. Thankfully, the kunai whizzed past him, almost cutting him on the cheek. Edward's body relaxed.

The blond let out a sigh of relief, then glared the Uchiha, "…the hell? Are you trying to kill me?"

Itachi cocked his head, gesturing with one hand towards the spots the kunai had landed, "I thought you were a genius."

Edward's eyes widened as he took in all the weapons positions. He turned behind him, and sure enough, that kunai was in spot too. Itachi had thrown all six kunai, and each and every one of them had struck the targets the black haired boy had set for Edward.

"It's not impossible," Itachi stated, walking up to Edward. He took the six kunai from Edward's hand, and twisted them every so slightly between his fingers. "All you have to do, is hold them like this, and it'll be easier to aim while you throw. Calculate the wind velocity -though I'm sure you can do that already- and release. Don't look for where you're throwing; hear it, feel it, sense it. I notice you've been trying to see your targets for the past few tries, but you don't have to. All you need to do is-"

"What are you doing?"

Both boys turned their heads, looking towards the interruption. It was a small boy, possibly six, maybe even seven. Edward blinked as he took in the boy's features; black hair, dark eyes, heck, even the clothes were the same! The blond inclined his head, glancing at Itachi, but the black haired ninja's face was as impassive as always.

"Nii-san!" The little boy whined, "Why are you teaching _him_ but not me?"

What the? This little boy was Itachi's brother? That meant… Edward looked to Itachi, only to be met with a blank expression.

"He is someone important to the village," Itachi answered without emotion, "And therefore he needs to be trained."

"I'll become someone important to the village too! I'm already in the ninja academy!"

"That is different."

"How? Besides, that guy doesn't look like a ninja! He's not even very old. He looks-"

"My age." Itachi cut in, then sighed ever so slightly, "Edward is as much of a genius as I am, but he's only been recently instated into the ninja world. I am to teach him our ways. Sasuke, why don't you go ask mother to teach you some ninja techniques?"

"I don't want mother!" Sasuke cried, "I want you!"

"I am bus-"

"Sure," Edward grinned, deciding that he'd help the little boy. He remembered all the ridiculous things Alphonse used to do to get his attention; fighting him, or fish catching competitions, anything.

Itachi turned to give the alchemist a warning look, "Edward, that is not-"

"I don't see why not," Edward broke in, "Hey don't worry on the account of me, I can learn this. Besides, I don't see why you can't instruct your brother and I at the same time. I'm sure that can't be very different from teaching me alone."

"…" Itachi couldn't argue, just as Edward knew he wouldn't. After all, Edward for once had faultless logic, and he knew that Itachi secretly wanted to teach Sasuke, but was conflicted with duties. After all, what brother didn't want to teach their sibling something? Finally, Itachi nodded in consent, turning back to the kunai.

Sasuke shuffled out of the bushes and walked past the blond with a withering glance, "Don't think I'll like you just because of this. I still blame you for taking my Nii-san's attention."

"You little brat!" Edward growled, feeling his sense of accomplishment vanish. "No sense of appreciation at all! See if I'll help you next time!"

"Good!" Sasuke spat, "Don't!"

The two glared at each other, then with a huff, ignored the other's presence. Or at least, Sasuke ignored Edward's presence. The blond haired ninja, was still keeping an eye on the smaller child. It seemed that while Sasuke may have been Itachi's younger brother, he didn't exactly inherit all of Itachi's gifts. Oh sure, Sasuke was beyond a standard student, but he wasn't on par with Edward and Itachi in natural understanding yet. Sasuke could be amazing, and he'd definitely stand out in a crowd, but right now with Edward as his adversary Sasuke seemed like a slow child. When explaining the proper way to throw a kunai to achieve the maximum effect, Edward could get it within the third try, whereas Sasuke took fifteen, and a regular child would take hundreds. And the problem was, Itachi wasn't slowing down for his brother.

So, while Sasuke struggled to master the previous exercise, Itachi was already giving Edward a new one. It was a vicious cycle, where Sasuke kept missing lessons, therefore making it all the harder to master the next step. Did Itachi really not care to teach his brother properly?

Edward sighed at the problem; it wasn't that it mattered to him but…He had to help somehow; because they were brothers. "Hey Itachi, mind explaining that step again?"

Itachi raised a brow, not having been asked to repeat a step before, but then again, he'd only been training Edward for an hour. Thankfully, Itachi chalked it up to the level of difficulty in the exercises he was giving Edward now, so that was why Edward seemed to be slowing down. This time, Edward also completed the exercise just a little bit slower than he usually did.

The next problem came when Sasuke didn't understand a concept Edward had gotten right off the bat. Though Sasuke didn't ask outright, Edward had seen the furious glance the black haired boy had made to his index finger during the explanation. Edward coughed into his hand, "Hey Itachi, why exactly is the index finger's position so vital to throwing it this way? I mean, wouldn't the middle finger have the same effect?"

Edward saw Itachi's brow furrow, ever so slightly. It was a valid question, so Itachi couldn't possibly find it suspicious, "Well…"

The third time Edward asked for 'pointers' though, he knew he was in trouble, "Hey Itachi, why-"

"Edward!" The black haired Uchiha snapped, then glared at his younger brother, "I know what you are doing. Stop it."

"Wh-what do you mean?"

"Did you not think I would realize?" Itachi asked coldly, "Anyway, I was asked to train you, because you might be assuming chuunin level duties. By doing this, you are quite frankly slowing down your progress. I haven't all the time in the world; do not waste it by doing something as pointless as this."

Edward felt heat rise from his stomach, though he knew technically he was in the wrong, "Pointless? You call teaching your own brother pointless? Don't give me that crap, I know you care for him!"

"He is my brother," Itachi replied without any inflection in his voice, "And he is not the one required to learn the techniques of an assassin. You were wasting my time, Edward Elric. Do not think to trick me again."

"Fine," Edward growled, "Next time I'll just ask."

Itachi shot Edward a cold glare, then turned to leave, "Now you know the proper way to throw kunai, you must practice on your own, so it's ingrained in your reflexes. Next time, we'll be practising hitting moving targets."

With that, Itachi disappeared from sight. Edward let out a loud sigh of frustration, running a hand through his growing hair. What a disaster.

"You didn't need to do that."

Edward whipped around, his eyes finally leaving the spot that Itachi had been. Sasuke stood a little ways off, his cheeks flushed and his eyes fierce. Whoops, it looked like Edward had upset more than one Uchiha. Most likely, the younger brother didn't take well to being manipulated. Ah well, what was done was done. Besides, Edward had promised he'd never do it again. It wasn't like he was good at it, anyway.

"I could have handled it on my own," Sasuke elaborated, crossing his arms, "You don't need to pity me."

Edward cocked his head, then snorted, "Life's not all about you, brat. What I did wasn't for you, it was for your… bond. It was for Itachi, really."

"Bond?" Sasuke furrowed his brows, looking extremely confused, "Itachi? But… but he never cares about what I do."

"Eh? Really? Because it seems to me that Itachi cares quite a bit about you. That is the bond of brothers…"

Sasuke must have noticed the wistful tone in Edward's voice, because he suddenly sneered, "Jealous?"

"Yes," Edward answered truthfully, erecting a surprised look from the black haired boy, "I have… a younger brother, but I can't find him right now. When I see you and Itachi together… anyway, as an older brother I kind of understand how Itachi feels. He wants to protect you, and the way of ninja doesn't is all sort dangerous. He's also not the most sociable person on the planet, so interacting with you like some other brothers you might see is not his forte."

Sasuke looked unconvinced, but then, words alone could hardly even convince anyone.

"Do you need more proof?" Edward's lips twisted as he closed his eyes and tried to recall what had happened that day, "Alright, how 'bout I tell you about the first time Itachi and I met? It wasn't on friendly terms. In the end, he defeated me, but there was one point in time where I had captured him and he thought I was going to kill him. His exact words to me were 'If you ever see my brother, Sasuke Uchiha, please tell him that I am sorry I cannot teach him more ninja techniques'. He didn't even mention your mom or dad."

"What?" That got Sasuke's attention, "H-he really said that?"

"You can go ask him yourself."

There was a long moment a silence, then… "No, I believe you. You wouldn't dare lie about Itachi nii-san. But… can you… can you teach me how to throw kunai?"

Huh? "I thought you wanted your brother to."

Sasuke bit his lip, fingering the kunai in his hand, "Yeah, I do, but I want to impress him more! So… can you please teach me?"

Edward felt a pang in his chest, as he remembered similar instances from a long long time ago. Ever since That Day, Al had stopped obviously depending on him, asking for help. Most likely, Al didn't want to burden him. That fool, he should have known that _not_ asking for help was more burdensome… Edward grasped Sasuke's fingers, curling them into the correct position, "Like this, so that the index folds only a third of the way to the palm, to increase the…"

* * *

Hikari set out the plates, smiling. Today, she had guests, after all. It had taken a world of work to get both Edward and Itachi to come, but she had done it, somehow. The two wanted to think that they were adults, and they did do a might good job of acting like it most of the time, but at heart they were still kids. And all children needed affection.

The doorbell rang.

Hikari slipped off her apron, folding it neatly on her counter. Dusting off her slightly floury sleeves, she made her way towards the door, deftly avoiding a giggling three-year-old Konohamaru. The image on her front porch warmed her heart. Edward was scowling, an impassive Itachi by his side. And, there was one more little creature for her this time. A little boy, who couldn't have been older than six, stood between her two favourite eleven year olds, his dark hair in a lovely disarray. She fell in love with him instantly.

Opening the door wide, Hikari smiled down at the three boys, "Welcome."

"This is Itachi's brother," Edward introduced, all of the sudden turning very nervous, "Sasuke. I hope you don't mind, but I didn't want to leave him and…"

He was babbling, but Hikari didn't interrupt him. It was her impression that all children needed to babble, sometimes. When he was finally finished, Hikari nodded, a wide grin spreading across his face, "Well, that's lucky. I thought I made too much food for everyone, but it looks like now it'll just be perfect. Anyone's welcome to my home. Are you going to spring a little brother on me too, Edward?"

"Ah," Immediately Edward's face fell, and Hikari instantly recognized her mistake. Oh no, she hadn't meant to…! Her father had explained to her the reason Edward was staying in Konoha the night just before the Grass mission, but she had nearly forgotten it because it was so long ago. She looked down at the golden eyed child sadly, and opened her mouth to apologize, but Edward beat her to it.

"It's fine," The red cloaked child said softly, "Al would have loved to have dinner with you, too."

Wordlessly, she nodded, and motioned the three in. Ah, Edward was such a sweet boy; he didn't deserve to have lost his brother. Then again, who in the world deserved their circumstances? Shaking her head, Hikari moved back towards her kitchen, noticing out of the corner of her eye, Itachi closing the door for her. She felt a smile spread across her lips; there was another considerate boy. Edward and Itachi, what a pair. The sweetest little boys on earth. What mother wouldn't want to have them?

Just then, she felt a heavy weight on her leg, and glanced down to see the pleading brown eyes of Konohamaru. Laughing gently, she picked up him, bouncing him up and down a few times just to hear his shrieking laughter. Catching him one last time, she changed her course to the dinning room, and quickly set him down in a high seat. She squeezed his cheeks lovingly, and sternly ordered him to stay. Konohamaru pouted, but Hikari knew he would obey. Yes, she couldn't complain, not when she had her sweet little angel Konohamaru.

She patted his head, and made her way towards the kitchen again. This time, she was unhindered. Taking the food off the stovetops, Hikari whirled like a waitress back to the dinning room, setting down the various dishes with a distinctive flourish. Edward, Itachi, and Sasuke were already seated, like she had ordered them to. Edward and Itachi had been to her meals enough, to know that Hikari didn't like it when they helped out in the kitchen. They were children, and meals should be taken care of by adults; they already did enough to help Konoha.

Finally, all the dishes were brought over, the utensils placed, and cups filled with orange juice. Hikari took her seat at the round table, besides Konohamaru and Sasuke, feeling a tender smile spread across her face. Nobody had even touched their plates. They had all waited for her. Hikari felt her heart warm, and she had just the slightest bit of trouble picking up her utensils.

As soon as she did though, so did the others; Edward and Konohamaru digging into her food with relish. Itachi and Sasuke followed at a more sedate pace, delicately placing food into their plates, and cutting it in perfect etiquette.

"This is delicious," Itachi took a bite, his voice monotone, but Hikari knew the little kid well enough to detect the subtle changes. There was sincerity in that voice.

Hikari smiled, and winked teasingly at the eleven year old boy as she leaned over, scooping up one of her dumplings with a spoon, and plopping it down on Itachi's plate, "Then you must try this. It's our family's secret recipe."

As always, the children started becoming more open as the meal progressed, just as Hikari had hoped they would. Hikari cocked her head, half listening to the conversations around her table as she fed the gurgling Konohamaru; they were terribly amusing.

"Itachi nii-san! Try this seaweed onigiri! It's amazing!"

"Thank you Sasuke. However, although it is delicious it is not my favourite selection."

"Tch, Itachi, I saw the way you were drooling over the onigiri at the festival, so don't try to deny it. I know you're just trying to get Sasuke to eat whatever you perceive as _his_ 'favourite foods' and all, but really, it won't work. Sasuke's favourite food isn't onigiri —and you'd know that if you spent more time with him— it's the omusubi here. So, by sacrificing yourself and saying you hate the food you love, thereby making Sasuke eat the food you think he loves, won't work. He'll just think he's doing you a favour, and you'll think you're doing him a favour, when in reality the both of you are just being idiots. It's one big chain of… idiocy. I really don't have a better word for it."

"Re-really Itachi nii-san?"

"…are you quite done with your speech, Edward?"

Hikari smiled as she fed another dumpling into Konohamaru's awaiting mouth; yes, she quite liked her little dinners.

* * *

"Ah, greetings! I'm so glad you came!"

"As if we had a choice," Edward muttered, glaring at the cheerful chubby man.

Beside him, Hikari tsked, but also made sure to keep her voice low, "No Edward, be nice. He's our client, after all."

Edward snorted; some client. The guy was overly paranoid, that's what. He'd used all his money to hire ninja guards; five ANBU, and just enough money left over for a chunnin-level ninja- all to explore some abandoned mines. Seriously, why didn't the chubby man just hire _one_ ninja, and gotten the ninja to check out the mine for him? But no, Mr. Chubbs wanted to look at the mine himself, and have six ninja as escorts. So now, here they were, outside the entrance of a hot, smelly mine.

And it was raining.

"We are glad to be here," Itachi said calmly behind his weasel mask, bowing ever so slightly to the chubby man. No, they were _not_ glad to be here, especially not since they were getting wet, but Itachi could lie very well.

"That is great! But, let's not waste time." Turning on his heel, Mr. Chubbs walked decisively towards the tunnel, his boots making faint scrunching noises on the mud. The soaking ninja didn't glance at eachother before following him. Edward was nearly at the threshold, when he felt something off. He stopped, causing Hikari to bump into him.

She put a hand to his shoulder, her voice concerned, "Edward, what…?"

What indeed? Furrowing his brows, Edward looked around, spreading out his senses. For some reason, something didn't feel- Edward turned back to the mine, shrugging off Hikari's hand and running towards it full speed, "Get ou-"

He hadn't even said the warning, when the roof suddenly cracked. Eyes widening, Edward lunged forwards, but felt his body fling backwards. A loud boom echoed through the area, and the air exploded in a shower of dirt and rock. Edward was knocked off his feet, flying backwards due to the force of the explosion. He landed in a tuck roll, putting his arms over his face to block the stray shrapnel.

The winds finally died down, and Edward stopped feeling stray bits of rock hit his arms. Panting, he got up, looking around wildly, "Hikari! Ita-"

A hand clamped over his mouth. Edward's eyes widened, and his hand dropped to his pouch of kunai! The voice hissed out in warning, "Stop it! Do you want our enemies to know where you are?"

The blond haired boy froze. As if knowing that he wouldn't attack now, the hand was slowly removed from his mouth. Blinking, Edward turned around, registering Hikari behind him, her rabbit mask resting on the top of her head.

She was okay. Edward let out a sigh of relief, making sure to keep his voice to a minimum, "Are the others…?"

Her eyes dimmed ever so slightly, "I saw Itachi turn at your shout, but they were deep into the tunnel by that time. And… I don't see them now. But don't worry, Itachi's tough, his ANBU commander even more so. They'll be okay in there. It's only a matter of time before they get out."

"But you'll be dead by then!"

Hikari and Edward turned as one, heads whipping to the new voice. A smirking female stood in the rain, two gorillas of men flanking her. She flipped her dark black hair over her shoulder, and the two men disappeared, "Though, I congratulate you on not getting trapped in that mine. Don't know how you did it. It was never meant to kill anyone of course, but we thought it'd separate everyone until we could take care of them. I suppose we'll have to take care of you first."

Hikari narrowed her eyes, "Watch out, Edward. They're taking advantage of this rain; using it to mask their sounds and scents, as well as blur our vision. My guess is that they're trained for this method of fighting."

"No problem," Edward murmured, spreading out his senses. Slowly, he felt human-like figures flicker to life in his mind's eye, overlapping with the mental image he already had with his surroundings. He hadn't only been practising the ninja arts these past nine months.

Ever since his first fight with Itachi, Edward had seen the potential of using alkahestry as a chakra sensor. Though the results of alkahestry were similar to alchemy, but the methods much harder to use, Edward didn't bother with those. But, the sensing ability was damn useful. Still, Edward wasn't a master at it yet, or else he would have definitely picked up on the enemies' chakra signatures way before they could have acted, like Mei Chang would have. But, he was proficient enough to use it effectively if he was concentrating on it.

And… he felt something now. "Behind!"

But, he didn't need to warn Hikari. He supposed she wasn't the daughter of the military leader, and an ANBU at that, for nothing. He didn't even see her move, but he saw the one gorilla man pound into the ground where she had been seconds before, creating a huge crater in the earth.

Hikari reappeared behind him, sending a kick his way. It was intercepted though, by the other gorilla man, who caught the foot with one hand, and threw a punch with the other. Hikari's hand flashed through seals faster than Edward's eye could follow, "Fire Release: Ball of Flame!"

Letting go of her foot, the man jumped back, just in time to avoid the large fireball that erupted from Hikari's mouth. When Edward caught the man's smirk however, he knew something was wrong. Eyes widening, Edward dug into his pocket, and threw a slew of kunai at Hikari. The first gorilla man, who was just about to punch the back of Hikari's head, jumped back to avoid the weaponry that sailed over the ANBU's shoulder.

Hikari sent him a grateful look before she disappeared again, reappearing a little distance off. Edward moved to help her, but suddenly had to jump backwards to avoid being skewered by a shower of shuriken. He followed the path of the weaponry to the predatory eyes of the black haired girl.

"Now, now," She admonished, "We can't have you interfering with the Bloody Duo's perfect teamwork, can we? Don't worry, you'll be able to fight them once they're done with that woman of yours."

Edward gritted his teeth, slamming his hands together to form a circle. Carbon, Silicon, Lead, Lithium! Her mistake for giving him too much time. The earth around her erupted in landmine of metal spikes, covering a five meter radius on all sides; even if she dodged, she wouldn't have anywhere to dodge to.

This woman was a professional though. She jumped up as soon as the first spike broke through, Edward's alchemy only grazing the side of her leg. As soon as she was in the air, her hands flashed through various seals, "Earth Release: Acid Mud!"

Spewing something out of her mouth, the black liquid melted Edward's carefully created spikes, hissing and bubbling before quickly solidifying into obsidian stone. Edward didn't waste time to mourn his missed attack though. He threw a barrage of shuriken at the descending lady, and body flickered out of his position. She deflected it, as expected, landing in a crouch on the black land.

"Wind Release: Razing Winds!" A long ranged attack; perhaps it wouldn't kill a professional like her, but it would at least distract her.

"Tch! Water Release: Foam Shield!" The surrounding raindrops condensed around her, and like its name suggested, shielded her from his attack. "Ha boy, you're still too early to attack a natural water affinity in her element! The only reason you got me at first was because I was surprised! Water Release: Waterfall Dragon!"

Edward inwardly cursed; it would take too much time to perform alchemy on the incoming dragon-like structure. He rapidly formed handseals, "Earth Release: Hiding Wall!"

A large chunk of earth in front of him rose, absorbing most of the water. But what the woman had said about challenging a water element when it was raining was right. The dragon's tail curled around the earth wall, whipping Edward through the air. A barrage of kunai followed its wake, surrounding Edward before he could react and exploding. Edward disappeared in a poof of smoke.

The earth around the woman shot up, swallowing her in a mount of stone. Only her head remained exposed, her eyes glaring balefully at the blond. Edward winced slightly as the memoires of his shadow clone assaulted him; he didn't particularly like exploding to death. It was a good thing he had made one as a precaution when he set up his Hiding Wall. But finally, this woman was defeated, and he could go help Hikari. He took stepped towards the woman, wanting to knock her out.

Just then, he felt two strong arms wrap around his, preventing him from moving. Edward's eyes widened as he cranked his neck upwards to get a better view of his attacker's face; it was one of the gorilla man! The other man walked over to the woman, delivering a hard punch to the stone wall. It cracked, then broke open.

The woman brushed mud off her clothes, a furious expression on her face. She growled, taking a few steps back, "How dare you do that to me? I'll make you pay, brat. Adachi, move out of the way! Godo, get prepared!"

Edward struggled harder, but to no avail.

"What?" The woman smirked, putting her hands together, "Want to cling onto life? You should have thought of that before you challenged me."

"Hikari! What have you done to her?"

"Oh… that woman. Dead, probably, or else the Bloody Duo wouldn't have interfered with my fight. Dead, like you're soon going to be!" Slowly, the air started to bake and cackle, flaring blue at odd times. Smirking, the woman went through a series of handseals, then pointed one long, bony finger at the blond, "Lightning Release: Primitive Strike!"

A bolt of blue light raced down from the heavens, stopping a millimeter from the woman's outstretched finger before it bended, striking like a snake towards Edward's frozen body. Edward couldn't move, he knew it; the gorilla man wouldn't let him go until the last second. They were professionals.

Would it all end here? His dreams, his plans, his hopes for the future? Would he never see his brother again? He couldn't believe it. His fists clenched, his eyes hardened, but there was nothing he could do. All he could do, was await the coming lightning. What a stupid way to die.

And then, a shadow flashed in front of him. Hikari! The lightning struck, and blood splattered Edward's face, dyeing his pale cheeks a dark red. The grip on his arm slackened, but Edward couldn't register that. What…?

Hikari arched backwards, looking eternally beautiful as the lightning lit her body a radiant blue. Edward lunged forwards, catching her body before she hit the ground, ignoring the slight shock that came with touching her. He knelt on the ground, shaking her, his tears mixing with the rain. "Hikari! Hikari!"

Warm brown eyes fluttered open, and she looked at him with a faint smile, "Edward."

"Oh thank God!" Edward hugged her, burrowing his face in her chest, "Oh thank goodness you're okay…"

He trailed off, his cheek touching something that didn't feel quite right. Eyes widening with horror, Edward straightened, looking at the small, black hole on Hikari's chest. The older woman smiled sadly, "Edward… I'm not okay. I don't think, I'll make it."

"No… no! You're a medic nin, you can heal yourself! You can-"

"Edward, stop." Hikari let out a little cough, her hand weakly coming up to grasp Edward's, "I… I know my own limits. I don't have enough chakra to heal myself, and I'm the only medic around here. It's not your fault, I would have died from my wounds from the Bloody Duo, anyway. I just wanted… to save you."

"Then teach me how to heal you! Teach me-" The boy chocked, his throat closing up.

"I… I…" Hikari's eyes fluttered closed, her voice getting weaker, "Hehe, this kinda reminds me of when I was giving birth to Konohamaru. It's a good memory to have. He's such a sweet boy you know, and he always wants attention. His father died a while back, and he's kinda lonely without him. I wish I had been around for him more, but I can't disappoint my dad…"

"Stop… stop talking like that. You can… you can make it up to Konohamaru when you get back to Konoha and… I mean, you can't look to the past, you must keep walking forwards!"

Hikari smiled at that, her hand slipping away from his, "What a great speech Edward, I hope you go by it. Please… take care of Konohamaru for me…"

Edward simply gripped her hand tighter, "I won't have to! Because you'll be there, because you'll-"

"Edward, stop."

Like a zombie, the blond turned, his mind taking a moment to register the dark haired, red-eyed boy. Itachi.

The Uchiha knelt down by him, gently removing the blond's fingers from Hikari's hand. Her arm slipped down, falling with a soft _plop_ to the muddy ground. Itachi rested a hand on Edward's shoulder, his voice as sad as the bluebirds in fall, "Stop it Edward, she's already dead."

"She- she-" Edward shook Itachi's hand off, gripping his mother-like figure all the more tightly, "She isn't! She's not dead! She can't be, she-"

"LOOK AT HER!" Itachi roared, his face uncharacteristically angry. Slowly, it softened again, going back into that blank mask, "People die. That's the ninja life."

"It doesn't have to be that way! I can bring her back, I know I can! I've done it before! A blood seal, that's what I'll do! I'll… I'll… I'll…"

Hikari's body slipped from his arms, because he didn't have the strength to hold it anymore. She slid to the muddy floor, the pit-pattering rain drops cleansing her face of her blood. She looked beautiful like that, peaceful in her eternal sleep.

Edward pulled his knees to his chest, wrapping his arms around himself. He looked to the sky, ignoring the hissing raindrops that assaulted his eyes. Itachi sat down beside him, hesitantly putting a hand on his shoulder, "Edward…"

"No," Edward whispered, still staring at the heavens, "No… I won't bring her back. I made a promise not to mess with human life again. She's dead."

There was a certain tenseness in the air, as if Itachi didn't quite know what to say. That was fine, Edward didn't want Itachi to say anything. Slowly, he noticed the four other chakra signatures, the signatures of the ANBU. They must have gotten out of the mine then, and came to clean things up. That was why nobody was attacking them right now. If they had come sooner, would things have turned out differently? No, no he couldn't afford to think like that. His motto was to forget the past, and move on. So why… why did he find it so hard to follow that at the moment?

He squeezed his eyes shut, his fists clenching; why couldn't he move on already? Why did he still feel this pain? Oh yeah, because… "It was my fault."

He felt Itachi tense beside him, and he didn't blame the brunette. After all, Itachi had also been somewhat close to Hikari, so it only made sense if the Uchiha abandoned Edward because he murdered her. Itachi though, only shook his head, "No you didn't, that's survivor's guilt talking. She died, and you didn't, that's all there was to it. It wasn't anyone's fault."

"She took the attack meant for me," Edward's lips twisted, "It should be me dead, not her."

"But she wanted you to live," Itachi said slowly, "It was her choice to jump in front of that attack, not yours. Would you have wanted her to live her life in guilt if the situation were reversed?"

Edward closed his eyes, burying his head in his arms, "I'm not going to live my life in guilt. I know better than that. I'll move on. I'm just indulging in grief, right now. Can't I do that, Itachi?"

There was another, long moment of silence. But Edward found that he couldn't stand that, either. He lifted his head again, giving Itachi a deadened look, "Hey, could she have been treated? I mean, she was still alive for a few moments before…"

"I don't know. I'm not a medical expert, but I think her wounds were pretty serious. Maybe if you were Lady Tsunade, you could have cured her, but don't go thinking that you could have done something, because you couldn't have."

"Yeah," Edward muttered, his eyes blurring as he gazed at the dreary landscape, "I couldn't have. I… I think I hate that feeling of helplessness, of knowing that you _can't_ do anything. I… I don't want to experience that again."

Itachi simply looked at him, not offering any comment. Edward was thankful for it. He knew he was being stupid, and that people were obviously going to die, but he was thankful to Itachi for not pointing that out right now. Even he wasn't sure how he'd react.

"So…" Edward leant forwards, putting a hand on Hikari's face and brushing away a stray strand of hair. He put his face to her hairline, kissing her on the forehead softly as he gently closed her eyes. That done, he stood, his fists clenched tightly. He would move on. "And so… I'll become the best medic there is, so that people won't have to die around me!"

In the background, the soft pitter-pattering of the rain went on.


	7. Seven

A/N: Sorry this is so late, but this chapter was originally meant to be a bit different. As it is, I felt that it'd be too heavy if I had both scenes (you'll see which ones I'm talking about) in one chapter, so I had to split the two up and added more scenes (but it's still pretty heavy...). That took a while. Hopefully, this means sooner update for chapter 7.

As it is, now I'm thinking maybe I should have waited a little bit longer. I'm not entirely satisfied with the way this chapter turned out but... the main points are still here, so details don't really matter I suppose...

Chapter 7- Stand By You

There wasn't a cloud in sight the day of Hikari's funeral.

Inwardly, Edward thought about how much it suited her character; the bright, sunny character of a patient mother. He tried not to think about the day in the rain, when she had taken the fatal blow for him, her clothes soaked in blood and water.

Yes, her funeral set on a sunny day was best.

Shaking his head, Edward tried to listen to the Hokage, speaking adamantly in front of Hikari's tomb. It wasn't that Edward didn't want to pay attention, because if there was anyone who knew Hikari well it would be her father, but he just found his mind wandering. It kept going back, to... to...

"_I just wanted… to save you."_

Conflicting images: Hikari dying, Hikari in a coffin, Hikari buying them treats...

_Hikari smiled, holding out the onigiri, "It's a festival today. It's all about the spirit of giving, isn't it?"_

"...she was the best daughter anyone could have asked for."

Claps. Sobs. The Hokage was done.

This was a private funeral. Very few people remembered that the Hokage had a daughter, and only a select few would know the day that she died. Such was the way of ninja. Only the people who had been closest to Hikari were here today, which Edward was extremely thankful for. There would be no fake, polite clapping or condolences, everything would stem from the heart.

On the other hand, that just made things all the more harder.

Everyone here knew Hikari, knew what a gift and blessing she was. Though they didn't really know the events surrounding Hikari's death other than 'died in duty, protecting a friend', Edward felt that he could still feel their accusing glares on his back. Itachi had told him again and again it wasn't his fault, and the Hokage said he didn't blame Edward, but the blond still couldn't get the feeling to go away.

But Hikari had told him to live on, to not blame himself.

Edward let out a deep, shuddering breath; it was hard to keep her last messages to him, but he would do it. He had to. Yes, he blamed himself, he knew that denying it would bring no results, but he would continue to live nonetheless. Become the greatest medic of this world. Just like he promised.

With that burning guilt, that rigid determination as his motivation, how could he be stopped? It would just be like his search for the philosopher's stone with...

The funeral procession was ending.

People were milling past, clasping hands and leaning heads on shoulders. Some were blank eyed with grief as they slowly made their way to their houses, some were outright sobbing. Yes... Hikari knew a lot of people. It was just her bad luck that she had to get to know one stranded alchemist five months ago.

As Itachi turned in Edward's direction, Edward decided that he wanted to leave. He'd been avoiding Itachi ever since the day in the rain, and he wasn't about to stop now. Until he became a world class medic... he didn't want anyone closely associated with him. Until he became a world class medic... they would just die, wouldn't they? For him...

Edward turned away, and he knew that Itachi stopped walking. Itachi would not talk to him until the blond was ready, thank goodness for that. It was at times like this that Edward really appreciated Itachi's frustratingly patient nature. Edward didn't know how he'd react to a confrontation right now.

Besides, this wasn't just about Hikari now. That moment near death, in that instant Edward had recalled what was truly important to him. He couldn't believe he had forgotten it. Somewhere in between the research, the missions, Hikari, Itachi, and Sasuke, Edward had lost sight of what he needed to do here.

The whole reason he had become a ninja was to find a way to get back, wasn't it?

He needed to see Al, needed to see if Winry, Mustang, Teacher, Ling, and all the people of Amestris were okay. He needed to know what happened, needed to help them. Especially...

Did Edward's exchange with The Gate work? Did Al finally get his own body? Did Mustang follow through with Edward's last request?

These questions had only briefly flitted past Edward's mind after his mission in Grass, and he would not let that happen again. It was irresponsible of him, allowing himself to be enchanted by the glamour of the new world. And look where it had got him. Where it had gotten Hikari.

No, he wasn't for this world. He had to get back.

Almost at a leisure pace, Edward started for his apartment, leaving the sun and the crowd of people behind him. The coffin and the body. The scent of jasmine and the feel of a mother. He had things to do.

* * *

Edward had changed.

It had been subtly at first, and Itachi had not caught it because he'd assumed that it was due to Hikari's death. But that wasn't it, or at least, not entirely; Itachi could see that now.

In the libraries, it wasn't just medical jutsus that Edward was studying, though he did study a fair portion of them. Edward was keeping his promise to Hikari; he was learning how to heal, but... but he was also looking at something else. Time/Space jutsus.

Itachi for all his genius, could not figure out why.

Edward was studying time/space jutsus with a remarkable fever, spending even more time on it than medical ninjutsu. So much so, that even Itachi could tell it was unhealthy. Edward no longer spent any time outside, except for the one hour in the morning where he forced himself to stay in shape. His tanned skin was turning pale, and whatever he was doing it seemed as if his mind was on something else.

He also no longer visited Itachi, no longer came to the Uchiha for lessons, even. They no longer discussed theories on ninjutsu, or the best way perform a certain task. It was as if Edward's time had stopped and his sole attention was on the library.

Edward still continued missions when the Hokage assigned them, but that was far and few between. If a mission was particularly long, Edward would start to get fidgety and grumpy, and Itachi had to admit he did not have the patience to deal with it.

In fact, he had not been dealing with Edward's withdrawal at all. Itachi figured that whatever was bothering the blond was something Edward had to figure out for himself, and Itachi had no place in it. So, he had simply withdrawn, deciding that he would interact with Edward again when Edward was ready. He was not a confrontial person after all, and he doubted that anything he said could change Edward's mind. The matter was settled.

Still, he couldn't figure out why his mind kept going back to the blond even when he decided it was not worth thinking about.

"Nii-san! Nii-san!"

Itachi slowly opened his eyes, drawing himself out of his state of meditation. He hadn't gone very deep this time, but then, for this whole month his meditation had been a little off. He didn't know why. It was as if suddenly he wasn't content to go back to the state of silent peace he had before. He felt... odd. And he wasn't sure when it had started.

"Nii-san," Sasuke ran up to his side, looking at him with adoring black eyes, "Can we train today?"

Slowly, Itachi stood from his spot, brushing off bits of dust from his Uchiha uniform. He took a step towards Sasuke -who drew in a hopeful breath- and poked him, "Maybe some other time."

Sasuke pouted, swatting at his forehead, "Aw Nii-san, you never have time!"

Itachi simply shook his head, turning to leave. This was their daily ritual, only broken when-

"Where's Aniki?"

Sasuke was talking about Edward, of course.

Itachi remembered the first time Sasuke had given Edward the affectionate nickname, after Edward had tricked Itachi into promising to spend the day with Sasuke. Itachi had looked annoyed on the surface, but secretly Edward had to know that the black haired boy was pleased. Otherwise, how else could Edward manipulate him? Itachi wouldn't allow it if he didn't want it.

Sasuke had dubbed Edward with an affectionate 'nii-san' that day. For some reason, he had looked pained when Sasuke called him 'nii-san', and it was then that Itachi remembered the reason Edward had joined Konoha was to search for his younger brother. Later that night, Itachi had reminded Sasuke, and thought that was the end of it, but Sasuke had a way around everything.

So now, Edward was 'Aniki', while Itachi was the more affectionate but less regal sounding 'Nii-san'. Sasuke had argued that it was the only way for them not to get confused, and with Edward's laughter Itachi could not dispute it.

"He is doing work for the Hokage," Itachi finally replied.

There was a loud sigh, then- "So when is Aniki going to visit us again?"

Itachi could not reply.

* * *

Hiruzen was worried.

Most ninja experienced at some point in their lives, a traumatic experience in which someone died. There was no possible way for them to avoid it. He had been hoping though, that Edward would not experience it until much much later, and especially not in the form of his own daughter. That was the purpose of assigning the twelve year old to be a RESEARCH jounin, after all.

But it seemed as if the fates simply didn't want it Hiruzen's way. Really, he should have known. If he'd wanted to keep Orochimaru's child out of trouble he should have made sure that Edward stayed a civilian. Instead, Hiruzen had been selfish, wanting another ninja who supported his pacifist views.

And look where it had gotten him.

Most ninja had a period of backlash, a period of no emotion, a period of obsession towards something -anything- that would keep their minds off the deaths. And then that would go away, they'd mature and develop their quirks which would keep them sane.

But Edward wasn't moving from the first stage.

It had been a month, and Edward was hardly eating or sleeping. All he did all day was stay cooped up in the library, and Hiruzen had a feeling it wasn't just for entertainment. Edward was sickening, maybe even dying, and Hiruzen wasn't sure what he could do about it.

He had even brought Edward in one day, and had a talk with the boy, about how he didn't blame him for Hikari's death and how Hikari wanted him to live a good life. Besides, Hiruzen was actually proud of Hikari's death, though he would miss her, but in Hiruzen's opinion it was one of the most honourable deaths a ninja could have.

Edward hadn't really listened.

Oh yes, he'd made a good job of pretending to listen, as geniuses could do, but Hiruzen just knew that Edward hadn't gotten the main point. Edward had promised that it wouldn't affect his missions, so that Hiruzen shouldn't be worried. And indeed, Edward did do his missions with the same level of seriousness and reliability as always. Unfortunately, that meant Edward got less sleep, because for some insane reason the boy wouldn't take any time off from his personal research!

Didn't Edward understand that Hiruzen was worried about _him_ more than the missions?

And so, Hiruzen had found that he was at his limit, as a meddling old man and the father to the person Edward was grieving. But, he still had one card left to play. His title as the Hokage.

Hiruzen picked up a file folder, the one with the mission he had been seriously debating whether or not to accept. On one hand, it could seriously help Edward out of his funk, if Itachi rose to the challenge. On the other hand... if Edward were distracted, he could be killed. Still, Hiruzen could not stand to see Edward slowly killing himself.

Besides, he had a feeling about this mission...

Unfortunately, he didn't know if it was bad or good.

* * *

"Protection mission?"

Itachi nodded, mentally reviewing the files in his head as they ran on. Itachi had been given the details not too long ago, and Edward didn't even know why he was running, but they were used to this. After all, adaptability was supposed to be a trait of a genius.

"An upstart businessman is signing a contract with Katrins, but in doing so will put Matan out of business. Once the contract is signed, there's nothing Matan can do about it, and they'll simply have to either lower their prices, or resign themselves to another partner. However…"

"Matan will obviously not like either of those choices," Edward finished, looking thoughtful as he jumped from yet another treebranch, "Katrins is already developed and famous, of course Matan will want to keep working with that company. So this businessman thinks that Matan will try an attempt on his life, to stop the contract signing. Okay, makes sense, but why are we hired? I mean, I specialize in research, not protection."

"Again, they're taking advantage of the fact that we're children." Itachi explained, smiling slightly at the disgruntled look Edward shot him. Itachi didn't like it either, but it was almost worth it to watch Edward's reactions. It was only during missions that Edward acted the slightest bit normal. Anyhow, onto the mission details. What was it Edward always said? Ah yes, Equivalent Exchange. "It'd look bad for our client if he showed up at the signing with guards, especially since Katrins is doing a huge favour to him already by agreeing to meet him. However, if he took two nephews with him…"

Edward sneered, giving a forceful push forwards as he sprang from his tree, "Heh, hard to buy, but I guess Katrins can't really complain about it right? Even if Matan does suspect we're ninjas, they'll still underestimate us. Is there anything our client's 'nephews' should know?"

Itachi followed in bemusement, quickly explaining the details to Edward. The other genius listened with intense concentration, quickly memorizing the facts like Itachi had done. They only had until they got to Wine Country, and then they would have to act as the perfect nephews. Itachi didn't exactly like the concept of being hired because of his body size, but it didn't come without benefits. Edward was an excellent ninja, and though the blond could be extremely rash when it came to the mistreatment of others, otherwise Edward was the perfect partner. Or at least, to Itachi he was.

Maybe it was an age thing after all. A lot of other ninja Itachi had worked with had never respected him, because he was eleven and they were thirty. Most respected him after Itachi showed his skills, but there were still those that doubted Itachi's maturity, mistaking it for arrogance. It wasn't exactly… troubling, but it was annoying. And, concepts that came to Itachi so easily, were never quite understood by some of his co-workers. Everything had to be explained to them in detail, with all the flaws and pros of each course of action. And Itachi did not like to waste his breath.

But that was not something Itachi should think about. It would just hinder him if he let negative thoughts consume him. In a mission, one had to be completely trusting of their teammates. He had seen that in the war.

"Ah, you're here!" The businessman greeted as they finally made it to the man's house, and a very elegant house it was. Itachi twisted his lips in distaste; the businessman had not even made the deal yet, and he was already spending the money. Did one really need such elegance? Still, this was their client they were greeting.

Itachi bowed low, and motioned for Edward to do the same, "Greetings, I am Itachi, and he is Edward. I understand we are to be Hideo and Junichi now?"

The businessman nodded impatiently, "Yes, yes. Now, you need to change out of those clothes and into… more acceptable wear, or else my colleges will mock me."

There was not a speck of dust on their clothes despite all their running, but Itachi knew that business people were especially picky about presentation. His clan was the same. They followed the businessman, up a flight of curved marble stairs, and into a large bedroom. Two sets of shiny black suits lay on a soft white bed, silly looking, but needed.

"They won't impede your movement will they?" The businessman asked, a hint of worry creeping into his voice.

Itachi shook his head, but gained just a little more respect for this man. Smart. Most people wouldn't think to ask that. Then again, Itachi supposed that it was the businessman's own safety that he was talking about, and one had to be paranoid about their own life if they wanted to succeed in business.

"Stick by me at every second," The businessman instructed, "Don't let me out of sight. If you mess this up and I lose so much as a strand of hair…"

"Of course," Itachi murmured, bowing again, "Gato-sama…"

They arrived at the conference building not long afterward, having fully practiced their roles. Itachi melted into his role perfectly; he was used to acting. Around his own family, he would… anyway. The businessman had no trouble either, and was carrying out the role of 'doting uncle' to a point where it almost disturbed Itachi. The receptionist led them up a flight of stairs, into a large, windowed room.

Itachi's eyes instantly scanned for potential dangers. The place they were meeting in was not optimal. The skydome room, while pretty, would be perfect for would-be-assassins. Even with the twelve other people in the room, any assassin would have no difficulty locating their client. Itachi made a note to sit extra close to the businessman.

Itachi listened to every single detail of the next two hours -who knew, it might be important in the future- and Edward did not. That was fine though; they had planned beforehand for Edward to sense for incoming ninja, especially since the blond had that special ability of his. Itachi wondered if it was a bloodline limit; and if so, what clan's? There were a lot of bloodline limits Konoha didn't know about, and the blond's special ability might just be one of them. Along with his ability that was so similar to sealing, yet so different.

Just then, he noticed Edward politely ask for something, a second later he was excused. Edward got up, and gestured for Itachi to follow.

"I've just told them that I'm forgotten something," Edward hissed as soon as they were clear of the room, "And you're accompanying me. I sense three chakra signatures coming this way, but no more than that. Shall we go engage them before they alert the businessmen?"

Itachi nodded, his mind already flashing through the different possibilities and their outcomes. "It would be best. We do not want the businessmen to panic and potentially get in the way of our attacks, after all. Which way?"

Edward grinned, and jumped away. Not knowing whether to sigh or roll his eyes (and finally settling on both) Itachi followed him. They raced along the rooftops, their footsteps quiet, though Itachi was certain that if the hired ninja were worth their salt, they'd be able to hear Edward and Itachi as soon as they were in a three meter radius. It was kind of funny, how the three ninjas hadn't split up and tried a pincer. Were they that confident, or simply that inexperienced?

It was a shame that Edward's ability couldn't discern at which level their enemies were. All Edward could tell so far, was that they were not normal citizens. For all Itachi knew, that could mean chuunin, to ANBU captain level. But, Itachi was soon to be an ANBU captain himself. He had heard others discussing it. And, Edward was no slacker either. If it weren't for Itachi's Sharingan, the dark haired Uchiha would have been hard pressed to tell who was a better fighter. Although now... with Edward's current condition...

Well, it would be enough against most ninja.

Soon, Itachi felt it. The slight chakra signature that all ninja could feel when engaged in battle. The smell of battle-worn cloth and sweaty skin. He heard the slightest rustling of robes, precisely covered by the sound of leaves twirling through the air. They were here.

Itachi calmed his mind, allowing his thoughts to settle into the cold, clear precision of battle mode. Here, he would feel no guilt, feel no regret. No, that was for later, when he didn't have people to disappoint. In this mode, Itachi could throw away his feelings for the good of the village. He could probably even kill his own mother in this state.

Itachi signalled Edward with his eyes, and with a nod both of them bent low on their respective rooftops. He saw Edward clap his hands together in that familiar motion again, golden eyes half lidded as a look of concentration took hold. It would no doubt, result in something flashy, but it would do the job.

Itachi on the other hand, had another tactic for taking out enemy ninja.

He was after all, ANBU. Ninjutsu, taijustu, genjutsu, yes he excelled at all those, but moving silently and killing could be said to be his speciality. Funny how fate played out. The only way for him to make sure that no one felt pain while they died was for him to specialize in killing- the thing he hated most. Detachedly he wondered if it would make him insane one day.

But of course it wouldn't, because he wouldn't let it. Itachi jumped from his perch, kunai already in hand as the enemy ninja approached his hiding place. Before the ninja could fully turn his head, Itachi had already slashed.

But it seemed the enemy was first rate too.

Without needing to turn his head, the ninja jumped away, twisting his body so that Itachi's slash just barely skimmed the edge of the neck. Itachi quickly changed his slash into a throw, aiming to force the enemy to waste time dodging if he couldn't be killed. Immediately after the kunai left his hand, Itachi started forming handseals.

A flash of blue lightning. Out of the corner of his eyes, Itachi saw another enemy jump out of the way of a huge hand emerging from the ground, and the other cursing as he tried to pull his leg from the ground.

Just then, the ninja Itachi had targeted put his hands together- but it was too late.

"Lightning Release: Bolt of Shock," Itachi intoned, pointing one judging finger at the enemy.

Lightning raced from the ground through Itachi's body, giving him an odd sensation, but nothing he hadn't felt before. This particular jutsu was slightly dangerous in that it required a fair amount of pain tolerance, but thankfully for Itachi he had been born into the Uchiha clan. While a ninja from a civilian family might not be able to do this justsu, Itachi had gone through his share of torture training. And in this situation, this technique was perfect.

In a tenth of a second the lightning had raced from Itachi to the unknown ninja, causing the ninja to cry out as the full blast hit him. Itachi didn't wait. He lunged forwards, another kunai already in his grasp.

This time, Itachi drew blood.

But not enough. The enemy leapt back, a small nick at the side of his throat. Just a flesh wound. This time the enemy did not try to attack, he leapt towards the left, where-

The ninja Edward had trapped had escaped, and now the two ninjas whom Edward had challenged were both chasing the blond. Debris and jutsus flew through the air, with flashes of golden hair breaking through.

Itachi cursed inwardly, and decided to give up chasing the foe- for now. Instead, he leapt towards his fellow Konoha ninja.

"Sorry," Itachi murmured as he soared past the yellow haired boy. It was a plan that they had agreed upon without talking, and Itachi had failed miserably. Using his flashy moves, Edward was supposed to get the attention of two of the ninja and distract them, while Itachi took care of the last one through the element of surprise. That way, they'd only have two enemies left and that could be easily taken care of. But now because Itachi had failed…

"They're strong," Edward grunted, throwing a Look at Itachi as he dodged a hazardous looking wind technique.

Strong enough that they couldn't be beaten one on one? Then that meant…

Itachi shot off towards the one who had just performed the wind technique, his hands already flashing through handseals. Out of the corner of his eye he saw another ninja -the ninja he had cut the throat of- rushing towards him, but then there was a flash and Itachi knew Edward had taken care of it.

"Fire Release," Itachi whispered, just as the wind user unleashed another technique, "Fire Shot."

Wind fed fire, and Itachi had used a B-rank technique. As soon as the chakra of the enemy ninja turned into wind, it burned up in the presence of Itachi's fire. The enemy's eyes widened. With Itachi's timing, there was no way he'd be able to completely evade the fireball's path, or even do a counter-attack. But, if he wanted to avoid damage, there was one thing he could do, and Itachi wondered if the enemy would see it. After all, the man was a professional…

The enemy leapt left. Chakra covered his whole right side, so thick it was almost visible. It was an incredible skill really, to be able to control chakra to that extent. It would have taken years of training. The fireball skimmed the man's right leg, but the chakra fended off any real damage. Itachi smirked.

Suddenly the man's eyes rolled back, his body going limp as he slid to the ground, releasing his tremendous hold on his chakra. Edward stood over him, the butt of a kunai poised over the place where the man's head had been moments before. It had all gone according to plan.

Edward caught Itachi's eye, a grim smile on his face, then jumped backwards.

One down, two to go.

A second later the ninja Itachi was supposed to take out first landed where Edward had been, his eyes gleaming with a predatory light. Edward jerked his head ever so slightly towards the predatory ninja, before making a run for it. Right then, this was their next target. And this time, Itachi wouldn't fail.

The last ninja Itachi noticed dashing towards him, but Itachi simply jumped away. Let the ninja follow him; it would be no use. Spotting an alleyway, Itachi changed course and raced towards it, knowing that Edward could distract the first ninja long enough for Itachi to take care of this one.

It was a dead end.

Slowly, Itachi turned around, fully facing the enemy ninja just as he made it there.

"No ambush right?" The other ninja grinned, hands flying through handseals, "You wouldn't have had the time."

A fire phoenix exploded from the ninja's hands, zigzagging towards Itachi with a speed that his eyes could follow but his body couldn't match. The fire consumed the black haired boy, leaving not even ashes behind. Suddenly, the fire phoenix turned, not satisfied with its small meal. It roared, then flew back towards the shocked ninja who had cast the technique. It slammed into him, eliciting a scream of pain.

Gasping, the ninja collapsed, eyes rolling back as the genjutsu took full effect. Itachi didn't wait around; he was already late.

He found Edward locked in a tight hand to hand with the other ninja, though maybe hand to hand wasn't the best way to describe it. Edward was dodging using that unnatural speed of his again, the one that he had almost defeated Itachi with. Occasionally, they exchanged a jutsu, but it was mostly the enemy nin frustratingly trying to land a hit on the blond.

Itachi decided it was time to end this. The enemy ninja hadn't sensed him yet, which was good, but not unexpected. So then, the best option was a surprise attack, especially since Edward was expecting something. Itachi flashed through handseals, able to use a more complex jutsu due to the time he received from Edward's distractions.

"Earth Release," Itachi finally whispered, making a pulling gesture towards the ground, "Burial."

Suddenly, Edward grinned, and with hands clapped together he jumped away from the place of battle. The enemy ninja's eyes widened, obviously realizing something was wrong, and also made to jump away, but he was a split second behind. A split second was all that was needed.

The ground exploded outwards, burying its victim wholly, just as its name suggested. When the sand fell away, only his head was showing, just allowing the ninja to breath. The rest of his body was concealed in what seemed to be a huge anthill, but it was as hard as rock. His head dipped to one side, the ninja was clearly unconscious. 'Burial' was one of the higher level A-rank jutsu, and almost impossible to get out of once caught. However, it had two big weaknesses, which is what prevented most ninja from using it.

"You cut it very close," Itachi said as Edward dropped down beside him, "A second late and you would be knocked unconscious as well."

Edwards shrugged, a grin splitting his face, "Nah, you needed as much time as possible. I sensed you cast a technique, so all I had to do was get out of there before it hit. If I moved earlier, that ninja might have realized."

That wasn't nearly as easy as Edward had made it seem. The rate at which a jutsu went from being cast to fully forming was depended on the user, so Edward had to take into consideration the speed at which Itachi's jutsus usually took to work, and find a medium between that and the average speed for heavy class technique. He also predicted that Itachi would use a jutsu which took a long time to cast, time that an enemy usually wouldn't allow during a battle. Then again, Itachi could have also done that.

"The two kids strike again!" Edward turned his head to look at the unconscious ninja, "By the time they're all conscious, Gato will have signed the contract and we'll be done. Then I can get out of this stuffy suit and finally get back to the libra... Hey Itachi, what did you do to the last one?"

The sudden change in Edward's tone worried Itachi, just a bit. "He's in a genjutsu."

Edward furrowed his brows, "Does genjutsu sometimes affect people in a way that leaves their chakra empty?"

Itachi opened his mouth to reply, when the full implications of what Edward said hit him. _No way_-

"Shit! Itachi move!"

And suddenly Itachi felt his body being shoved forwards, and a blinding violet light filled his vision. Something warm exploded onto his arm, the iron scent filling his nostrils.

Edward.

Itachi turned just in time to catch the falling blond, his hands soaked in Edward's blood. A huge, gaping hole stared at Itachi, taking the place where Edward's heart should be. But Itachi saw where Edward's heart was. It was a shredded mess, bits and pieces of dark red clinging onto the whites of Edward's ribs and faltering lungs.

No, not Edward, please not Edward.

Edward wasn't- couldn't- this had to be a genjutsu.

But no, Itachi still had his Sharingan on, and he would have seen through any genjutsu. This was... real.

Edward was...

Itachi's heart clenched, the same organ that Edward no longer had. His mind flashed back to the days of the Third Ninja War, and the losses he had experienced then. But somehow it didn't seem, quite as bad as this. Yes, he had lost some people he knew, but never anyone personally connected to him. Itachi had thought it would be the same feeling regardless, had thought it was perfectly reasonable to ask for people not to seek revenge.

Naive.

Edward was...

His partner, his companion, his fellow genius- no, more than that. Itachi remembered Edward's taunts, his theories, his passions. He annoyed Itachi to no end and got reactions that no one else could have ever hoped to achieve. He had never left Itachi and Sasuke alone, always forcing them to spend more time with each other with ridiculous manipulations.

And the past month, where Edward had been so distant... Itachi had thought that their friendship had ended there, if there was ever any in the first place. But no, during missions they still got along fine, if not with Edward being just a little bit distracted. That past month... what had Edward been thinking? Itachi hadn't thought to ask then, but now...

If he could turn back time. Something had obviously been bothering the blond, but Itachi had ignored it, hoping it'd go away. Now, he would never be able to help Edward. He didn't deserve to be called Edward's friend.

Why? Why why why did Edward have to be so stupid? So idiotic? He was supposed to be smart, a prodigy, a genius, supposed to see the value of life, so why did he waste it for a useless person like Itachi? Why did he have to give up his life to save someone who was too afraid to even ask him what was wrong?

Itachi didn't quite know what to do, how to react.

Scream? No, that was out of character for him.

Cry? He had not cried since he was two years old.

Blame Edward? Ha, that was just irrational.

So... why did Itachi feel like doing all three?

Edward had said that he didn't want to experience again people dying around him. Dying _for_ him. The feeling of helplessness, of knowing that you couldn't do anything...

Did he think Itachi wanted to experience it?

What... what selfish reasoning...

"Huh," The enemy ninja said, his voice unapologetic, "I was aiming for you."

Slowly, Itachi set Edward down, his eyes burning.

Itachi glared at the other ninja, and suddenly with a frightening clarity, he knew exactly what to do.

"Tsukuyomi"


	8. Eight

Chapter 8

Outside, the sun shone brightly, dazzling in its intensity. It lit up the streets like marble, causing a glowing whiteness that would otherwise not be present in the city. A gentle breeze wafted through the skies, stirring the trees lightly and causing them to dance within their square. Birds chirped happily, hopping about on branches and rooftops, causing the odd passerby to look up with a smile. It was a beautiful day.

"So why do I have to be inside?" The man grumbled, tapping his pen in annoyance as he glared out the window. The paperwork assigned to him lay long forgotten to the side, from the time when he had pushed it aside.

Just then, the door slammed open, and the man's eyes went wide. Quickly, the man put his pen to the page, looking as if he had been writing the whole time.

A woman stood at the door's entrance, hands on her hips and eyes narrowed in suspicion. Briskly, she walked towards the black haired man, flipping her long blond hair over her shoulders. Her pristine blue military uniform shone in the sunlight, highlighting the gun at her belt. The man gulped.

"Funny," The woman muttered dangerously as she picked up the sheet that he had been working on, her eyes quickly scanning the words, "I could have sworn you were just working on this half an hour ago…"

The man smiled sharply, snatching the paper back from her hands, "Yes well, I assure you that I was working on something else. Perhaps you just don't remember?"

The woman's eyes narrowed, "I am not one of those fools who would bow down at your every word. Do not try to fool me… Fuhrer Mustang."

Roy Mustang smile sheepishly, setting down the paper once again, "Sorry Riza."

"You'd better be," Riza Hawkeye huffed, turning her head away, "Or else I'd…"

Roy paled as she fingered her gun.

"Hey, hey, hey!" Roy put up his hands in surrender, "I can't help it! This is so much work, way more than I had as a colonel. My mind wanders at times, you know that. It can't be helped."

"You finally get your dream," Riza rolled her eyes, "And all you do is complain."

"I don't complain." Roy sighed, his tone turning wistful, and it was then that Riza seemed to notice the dark bags under his eyes. "I'm just… I'm tired Riza. Being Fuhrer is a lot of work, and I was prepared for it, but still… there are things that only I can sign, only I can look at. I honestly can't help my mind wandering at times, but I haven't forgotten the sacrifices everyone has made to get me here…."

They didn't say anything for a long time, but it was clear who they were thinking about with the far-away look in their eyes.

Finally, Riza sighed, "Alright then, I can see you've fried your brain for today. How 'bout we take a break and go visit Al?"

Roy smiled softly, "Yes, let's do that."

The two walked out of the office, hand in hand.

The building they stepped out of was impressive, with high marble columns and a pristine look to it. The word 'Central' flashed across the top of the building, and the armaments made it clear exactly what type of building it was. The military palace had been restored, though not to its former glory as some old veterans might say.

The new building they went into however, was no less impressive, though for different reasons. It was a hospital, and obviously the best hospital money could buy. Plush chairs, mahogany furnishings, and velvet draping lined every inch of the place, everything done to make sure a patient would have the best time of their stay.

Roy smiled sadly, and walked a familiar path to one of the rooms, Riza just a step behind him. He pushed open the door, the wood sliding smoothly away and revealing the occupants of the room.

Winry turned her head, her back to them due to her position on the chair. As soon as she saw them, her face split into a large grin, giving her a cat-like look, "Roy, Riza, I wasn't expecting you two today!"

"Anything to escape the paperwork," Roy mumbled, looking to the room's other inhabitant. Al lay on the bed, in front of Winry. He looked tired and pale, but not sickly or in pain. Roy smiled ever so slightly, "I'm glad to see you're doing better, Al."

"Well I'd better be doing better," Al joked weakly, struggling to sit up, "I've been in rehabilitation for half a year now."

Just as Al was about to get into a seated position, Winry pushed him back down, scowling, "Oh no you don't mister, you've already had your exercise for today, so you can't overstrain yourself! You can talk to Roy and Riza while laying in bed. They don't mind, right?"

The look the teenage girl gave them ensured that they nodded quickly.

"Alright Winry," Al sighed, laying back down and snuggling into a more comfortable position, "Still as pushy as always…"

Winry scowled, her eyes glinting with something people told horror stories about, "What was that?"

"No-nothing!" Al said quickly, "I was just- oh, was that a cat?"

All three of the other occupants sighed as one. Riza looked kindly at the bed-ridden boy, "Al… you still suck at lying."

Al blushed, then laughed lightly, "Yeah I guess... it was always Brother who-"

He stopped short, his lips parted but no words coming out. Closing his mouth again, Al looked down, the light in his eyes dimming ever so slightly, "It was always Brother who misled people."

There was another moment of silence, and if one looked closely it was Winry who looked the saddest, but she quickly bounced up again. A large, catlike smile –only slightly forced- spreading across her face, Winry slapped Al's shoulder, shaking her head at Roy and Riza, "What are we all doing, being depressed over Edward? He'd never want this. He'd want you to be happy, Al."

"Yes..." Roy murmured, his thoughts far away and a tone of wistfulness in his voice, "Fullmetal gave up his life for you, so don't waste it mourning him."

"I- I won't." Al said firmly, a familiar glint of determination his eyes, a look which had been most closely associated with his late brother, "I know the consequences of messing with death. Brother's an idiot, dying for me, but death... I just hope he's happy."

There was nothing one could do after all, about death. Being trapped in a body of armour, comas, through The Gate, all that could be fixed, but death... Even the Elric Brothers knew better.

"I'm sure he is," Winry said softly, looking as if she were holding back tears. It had already been half a year but... She shook her head, letting out an unwavering breath, "He's fine, that idiot. He's probably annoying everyone wherever he is with his crazy theories on how death works. We'll see him when the time comes. For him, what's a few years compared to eternity?"

"Yeah," Al smiled weakly, "Move on, live with no regrets. That's been our motto. I'll live on for him, though I admit it was selfish of Brother. Still... for him I'll..."

"We'll all move on," Roy whispered, glancing at the woman beside him, the woman who had stayed with him through thick and thin, who had helped him recover his eyesight. "We'll make him proud of us..."

But he wasn't dead.

Edward felt his throat close up, the scene in front of him sending tinges throughout his entire body. He so much wanted to tell them that he was very much alive, had cheated death yet again. Could join them, could help Al, could support Roy, could comfort Winry...

And Al... Al, yes that was definitely Al. The sickly, teenage body that Edward had seen through the Gate couldn't be faked. Al had gotten his body back, for the price of Edward leaving Amestris forever.

Except now Edward wasn't sure if it was forever.

Al... Edward longed to reach out and touch him, the ruffle his hair and tell the younger blond that it'll all be okay. To erase that pain ridden smile, to see delight fill up those eyes again. The body was still stick thin, though Edward could no longer see the ribs. No doubt the six months of rehabilitation had done something, but it was not nearly enough. If Edward was there, he could make sure that Al was eating right, sleeping right.

This Al, laughing now, did not seem so bad, and Edward knew he would eventually recover completely but... but how long would that take? How long before the bags under Al's eyes disappeared, how long before Al started really feeling hungry again? What pain must Al be going through, because of Edward's 'death'...

He desperately wanted to go to the scene in front of him.

The scene... in front of him...

The huge Gate swung closed, majestic doors blocking the picture of Amestris it had shown him, leaving Edward standing alone in the white room. The Gate loomed in front of him, and though no figure was here to greet Edward this time, the blond knew that The Gate wanted.

If Edward wanted to go back to Amestis, he would have to pay a price. The scene The Gate had shown him was not for sentimental values, certainly not. No, it was to give Edward a minute taste of what life back at Amestris would be like, leaving the blond wanting. Well, it worked.

Now the only question that remained was, what price?

What would The Gate demand of him? An arm, a leg, his longevity? He would almost give up anything, just to be back. To be back with Winry, who'd bonk on him the head with a wrench, before promptly bursting into tears and asking -no, _demanding_- where he had been all this time. To be back with Mustang, who'd exasperatedly ask what took him so long, but have a little relieved smile all the same. To be back with Al, who's eyes so similar to his own would light up with something that Edward could never have, who'd hug him immediately, who'd ask Edward to never leave him again...

Edward took a step forward, a step towards his old country, towards his old friends, towards his old brother...

* * *

Itachi paced the room restlessly, hands behind his back and a slight scowl on his face. He usually didn't like to show so much emotion, but in this situation containing himself to only show this much already took all his effort. Inwardly he felt as if he would burst, whether from worry or guilt he knew not.

Besides, expanding effort to contain himself hardly seemed needed, and at this moment he could care less if he got a lecture about this later. Clan dignity was the furthest thing from his mind, and if the Uchiha were embarrassed about him then so be it. If his father disowned him, then so be it. Itachi didn't care. Because, right now, his best friends was dying.

Yes, his best friend, Itachi would admit it now. He had been avoiding thinking the term before, because it meant some level of intimacy that Itachi was not willing to give, but somehow Edward had gotten it anyway. Even Shusui, whom the Uchiha no doubt that was the person closest to Itachi, had not _understood_ the young genius as Edward had.

_Does_.

Edward was not dead. He could not be.

Itachi glanced again at the prone figure resting on the hospital bed, a gas mask over his face. The medical ninja had done all they could, forcibly bringing the tissues of Edward's skin together and even donning their own blood so that a child wouldn't die. But... but it was not enough. They had said his heart was odd, and-

His heart.

Itachi's arms fell from his earlier position to hang limply at his sides, his hands shaking. Edward's heart. It had been completely destroyed.

But, Edward had not been dead at that time. There is a four minute interval from when the heart stops beating to death and irreparable damage to the nervous system, but in that four minutes the victim was still technically alive. Itachi had spent a precious second thinking and regretting his actions of the previous month, but a second was not fatal. It was surprising how much the mind worked and how quickly it thought during moments of high stress.

Then, Itachi had stupidly allowed the enemy to talk for another five seconds, and his new technique took another five second to activate. Ripping out his opponent's heart and using it to replace Edward's had taken a full minute.

Itachi still shook with the guilt of the brutal killing, and he knew that it would be one more thing to add to his nightmares, but he could not go back in time to stop himself. It had been an impulsive, out of character act, and if Itachi had been in the right state of mind he was sure he would never had done such a thing, yet... Itachi did not regret it.

It could possibly save Edward.

Itachi was not a medical ninja, but he knew some medical techniques. All ANBU had to. Itachi, who specialized in silent killing, especially knew where all the important acupuncture points for paralysis and instant death were. He also knew the ones for speeding up healing, and a few simple jutsus to connect the new heart to Edward's.

It was a stupid thing, he knew, and even if it worked it could bring with it a whole string of problems for Edward in the future. There was no time to look for a heart that matched Edward's blood type, so Itachi simply had to hope for the best. Thankfully, it stabilized the blond, at least. Itachi had hoped that once he got back to the Konoha hospital, they would be able to do something about it.

Two percentage.

That was the chance for Edward's survival. Extremely low, extremely negative, and honestly Itachi shouldn't be expecting much out of it. Yes, Edward had survived against the odds before, showed amazing resilience and resolve, but two percent was just really too low.

So... why did Itachi still feel that he would see Edward rise from that bed and ask how many days of research he missed?

Itachi had seen deaths, had accepted them as part of life, had done all he could to help Edward. He hadn't rested since running home with Edward on his back, careful not to aggravate the blond's wounds any further. He was suffering from chakra exhaustion, physical exhaustion, and probably mental exhaustion too. Intellectually, Itachi knew that he should rest, especially since the Hokage was likely to call on him soon for deserting the client in the middle of a mission.

But... but Itachi couldn't leave. By some unconscious desire, his body would not obey his more hardened, objective mind. He could not leave Edward's bedside.

Nurses had come to take him, to convince him to get out of the white white room, to breath in some fresh air and see his little brother, so that he would not go insane. Itachi had driven them all away with a cold glare, not one word coming out of his mouth.

Truth to be told, he could not say anything. He was sure it'd come out like a jumble if he tried to even express a titbit of what he was feeling. For the first time in a long time, Itachi was painfully aware of his age. He was only twelve, not the wizen age old ninja that he sometimes fancied himself as.

He briefly wondered if the Hokage was taking this better.

If... If the Hokage felt like this all the time... how did the old man do it? How did Father do it? How did every single adult elite jounin who had lost their best friend to war, or missions, or simply stupid stupid fights live with themselves? Itachi... Itachi couldn't imagine it.

The Hokage wanted peace, he had said, and Itachi did not truly understand the significance of it until now. Yes, he had thought he had, fancying himself understanding with what he had seen about the war, but now he knew it was something completely different. When someone close to you died...

Itachi doubly did not want a world where such an occurrence happened regularly. With people sacrificing, dying... Itachi's eyes wandered to Edward again, whose chest had been rising and falling sporadically for the past five hours, except...

Except it wasn't rising and falling any longer.

Edward had stopped breathing.

Itachi was at the bedside in a second, checking over all vitalities possible, just to make sure he wasn't missing anything. No... no Edward couldn't be dead; it just wasn't possible. He... He...

Itachi clenched his fists, an odd sense of anger filling him. How dare Edward just up and leave when he'd just brought the two Uchiha brothers together. Didn't he know that Itachi would just go back to ignoring Sasuke if Edward wasn't there to make sure they spent time with eachother? How could Edward leave so suddenly when- when-

"You can't die!" The declaration left him feeling deflated. The frightening anger that he had only felt one other time left so quickly it left Itachi feeling empty, and he almost wished for it back. For once, he wished that he did not have supreme control over his emotions and keep that little box full of rage buried so deeply that even he could not access it anymore.

"You can't die," Itachi whispered again, utterly defeated.

Two percent.

There was no point even to calling the nurses, now. It was obvious Edward wasn't going to make it. In the end, two percent was just too low, even for a genius. Itachi let out a deep, shuddering breath, his vision of Edward turning blurry as the lights became overly bright. He closed his eyes, telling himself to calm down. It was done, it was over with, so Itachi should regain the control of his emotions.

Edward was... Edward was... Itachi had to accept it.

But he wasn't sure if he would be willing to put himself through something like this again. It was a mistake to let Edward wiggle his way into Itachi's mind, if this was the amount of pain it brought. Itachi had been right in trying to keep Sasuke away. It just wasn't worth it.

When he opened his eyes again, he couldn't believe what he was seeing. Edward's chest was moving again, and this time with a steady pace that had not been present before.

"E-Edward?" Itachi hated how his voice cracked, because he knew the blond would make fun of him for it later, "You're... alive."

Golden eyes opened, painfully slow, and a strained smile stretched across the all white visage, turning the cold face of the dead into something all too familiar. "Did you think you could get rid of me that easily? But you know, that that you've brought me back, I'll... never let go."

He had left them, in the end.

Even he had noticed his own thought process, and that had made him stop before he had taken the fatal step across The Gate. _Old_. Old country, old friends, _old_ brother.

When had he stopped considering them something that he needed, and when had he decided that they were simply a happy remnant of the past? Was it sometime during the many nights he had spent eating dinner with the Uchiha brothers and Hikari? Was it when he started his ninja training and became resolute in helping the Hokage? Was it during that mission in Grass, when he had seen the need of this world and what it could offer him...?

He didn't know, and it frustrated him.

Edward tilted his head back, allowing his head to sink into the soft, malleable material that was his pillow. The white ceiling above him stared blankly back, as if mocking him for his lack of knowledge. White, just like his thoughts. White, because he had no answers.

He still loved Al, oh yes he did, and he did not think anything could replace that love. But... he no longer needed to be with Al to live. He had realized that back in Amestris, even. During that period of separation where Al had been with Mei and Edward recovering... no, before that even. Again, something Edward couldn't pinpoint the exact moment of, yet happened nonetheless.

Slowly, ever so slowly, Edward had started to drift away, leading his own life and his own desires. The brotherly bond that had tied him and Al together had still been present, ever-binding and never letting up, but when Edward had died... Had that rope snapped?

No! No, it wasn't so sudden. More like... it had worn away, little by little, as Edward and Al slowly pulled apart and neither of them went back to check on the condition of the rope that bound them. They had started their own lives, and the distance made it easy for them to forget the other. They could no longer maintain it, no longer keep it in the condition at which it started, and eventually it had become wire thin.

Edward had wanted to restore it.

Or rather, he had never wanted it to break.

He shifted, no longer wanting to look at the ceiling. Perhaps the walls would be better, even if they were equally as bland and colourless. A stab of pain shot through Edward's body, forcing him to stop his half-shift and take a few deep breaths. Why had he decided to come back again, with his body ruined like this?

Ah yes, because...

Because this had become his world.

Somehow, and honestly Edward was not quite sure how, he had never considered Amestris home despite his numerous travels. It might have been because he had always been so focused on obtaining the philosopher's stone that he had ignored all the beauties of the country. And Resembool... well he had shot down that option the day he burned his house and made the resolution to never look back.

But this world, this _ninja_ world, because yes crazily enough ninjas existed, had sucked him in. He hadn't wanted it to, but somehow Konoha had made its way into Edward's heart and buried itself there. Now Edward couldn't leave, not with the Hokage depending on him and Itachi ready to turn away from Sasuke when the slightest bit of trouble came.

Yes Edward still loved the people he had left in Amestris, but he realized –though not without a heartfelt pang- that they no longer needed him. It had been half a year, and they had moved on. They were slowly, but surely, forgetting about him. If he went back now, who knew what disturbances it would cause?

The dead should just stay dead.

Al no longer needed him, he could see that clearly. It rankled him and made his jealousy flare up faster than a fire jutsu, but it was the truth. Yes, Al could use some extra help, but it was not needed. Roy, Riza, and Winry were now almost able to read Al as well as Edward had, perhaps even better in some ways. Edward could speed up the process of Al's recovery, but he knew in his heart that Al would recover without him as well.

And truth to be told, he no longer needed Al. It hurt him to even _think_ that, but there was no denying it. When he had become obsessed with searching for a way back that past month, hadn't it been because he'd felt responsible? He had not had the actual burning desire to return to Amestris, but rather it was the need to see if Al was alright, and to keep his mind occupied.

The Gate had shown him Al was fine, was recovering, did _not_ need rescuing. Edward no longer had a purpose for searching Al out, or rather... he no longer had an obligation. As much as he hated to think of his little brother as a duty rather than desire, the answer was glaringly obvious. With Al in good health, Edward no longer felt the need to look for him.

He had never wanted the rope to break.

Just then, the door creaked open, breaking Edward out of his thoughts. The blond turned his head, careful not to shift his body on the condition of pain.

Itachi.

The one who had called him back. He could still here it clearly, the almost desperate cry of '_you can't die!_' If it weren't for that, Edward knew he would have gone back to Amestris. But those words, that tone, it had reminded him... it was no longer Amestris that needed him.

Itachi glanced over him critically, probably assessing wounds. The dark haired boy took a few steps forwards, the door seeming to just shift shut behind him, "How do you feel?"

Physically? Like he had been run over by a truck. But Itachi didn't know what that was, and it would raise awkward questions with the Hokage if Edward said that. Mentally?

Edward chuckled weakly, struggling to sit up and failing. He fell back down with a plop, letting himself sink into the bed, "Not that great, but I'll get better. I always do."

"You almost didn't, this time," Itachi said softly.

They hadn't had much time to talk after Edward had woken up. As soon as he'd spoken a word Itachi was already calling for the medics, making sure they'd stabilize him and stop him from slipping away just as he had gotten back. Edward was pretty sure it wouldn't have happened but hey who knew? He had fainted right afterwards, after all.

So now... were they having a conversation that was long overdue?

"No, I almost didn't," Edward agreed, "But I came back in the end, right?"

"That is true," Itachi paused, "Was it because of whatever you had to research this past month?"

Edward hesitated, "That... it's complicated. In the end, no."

Itachi nodded, "Good, because if you go back to how you were before, I will bring it to an end."

Edward's surprise must have shown, because Itachi almost seemed to immediately answer his question, "I realized... I might not have been doing you a favour, avoiding you. It was what you wanted yes, but perhaps not what you needed. If you fall again, I will make sure you do not go too far. If you're venturing near the light, I'll stop you before you hit the sun. Do not think I will care if you desperately are in need of that knowledge; by saving me you have ensured that I will not let your wellbeing plummet again."

Edward felt his throat close, and he nodded reluctantly; because really, what could he say to that? He wanted to disagree of course, wanted to rage that he wasn't some child that needed watching over, but... he knew as well as others his own moods. He knew that they could be dangerous. For Itachi to do something completely out of his character for Edward's health... well, how could Edward say no?

"Fine," Edward finally said, glancing away, "Do whatever you want."

There was a moment's silence, and then... "Hey Itachi? With Sasuke... do you think you'll ever stop loving him?"

Edward could practically feel Itachi stiffen despite not looking at him. It was almost an insensitive question, and if someone had asked Edward in the past he was pretty sure he would have punched them. With his automail arm. But... Edward needed to know.

"...no," Itachi said at last, and Edward knew that it must have killed him to admit it, "I would never stop loving him, no matter what he did, no matter how long it has been until I've seen him..."

Ah, so Itachi had read his mind yet again. Edward felt his lips twist in a grin; the dark haired boy had prepared just the right answer too. Essentially, Itachi was assuring Edward that no matter what he decided, he would still share the bond with Al. It may be worn yes, more stretched out, but no less binding. Even if Al was in Amestris, and Edward was here, they would still be...

_Brothers_.

* * *

Shisui Uchiha was what was considered to be a genius.

He had graduated at age ten, activated his Sharingan at age twelve, and became known as Shusui of the Body Flicker at age fifteen. He was one of the most famous Uchiha of his generation, and his information had taken up three pages of the Bingo Book.

He was nothing compared to Itachi, though.

Itachi Uchiha, Shisui mused, was one of those once in a lifetime prodigies, a genius among geniuses. And now, he had found another one. As Shisui watched from his perch in the tree, he couldn't help but think of how perfect it all was.

At fourteen, Shisui had become interested in hearing someone had mastered the Sharingan at age eight- a full five years before he had. Though of course, it was the Head of the Clan's son, so it might have been expected. Still, Shisui had wanted to see who this potential rival might be. Perhaps a little vengefully, Shisui had wanted to take the kid down a peg or two, and show this 'Itachi Uchiha' that not everything would come so easily to him.

Well, he had been only fourteen then. He couldn't have known better.

To see a cold, desensitised boy where he should have seen a kid goofing off with his friends, had been like a bucket of arctic water to the Genius of the Body Flicker. Itachi was a genius among geniuses yes, who garnered everyone's attention and praise, but he lacked the thing that Shisui thought was probably most important.

Friends.

Shisui, who spent all his free time around people, recognized a lonely person when he saw them. He was rather glad that it was his better nature that came out at the time. Instead of showing Itachi an eight year old was no match for the fourteen year old, Shisui had decided to take Itachi out to eat instead. A sort-of friendship had started from there.

"You did a seal wrong. The third one's rat, not boar."

Itachi and Elric were in the clearing below, a little to the right of Shisui's tree. It was their training ground, actually, and Shisui had discovered it when he had been looking for Itachi, unsure of where the younger Uchiha had disappeared to. Shisui had come here early today, knowing that he had no chance of sneaking up on the prodigy duo if he arrived after them. Elric had been practicing various jutsus while Itachi was doing weapons training, but Shisui should have known that the genius Uchiha would notice what his companion was doing even if he wasn't giving it his complete attention.

"Yes I know," Elric frowned at his left, where a small hole had formed through a nearby treetrunk. If Shisui recalled properly, the jutsu Elric was practicing should have created a small fire, not a hole. "I was testing something out."

"That's dangerous," Itachi commented dryly, "But I don't suppose you care?"

Elric grinned, his pensive mood gone in a flash, "You know I'm too careful for it to have killed me. And I trust your abilities well enough for you to get out of here in time."

"You say that, but the reason you're testing it now instead of later is _because_ I'm here, is it not? In case something goes wrong, you expect me to be the one to save you."

"Perhaps, but you're also dying to know what I'm testing."

"..."

Elric didn't need an invitation. He launched into a detailed explanation of what he was working on, and Shisui himself couldn't help but be enraptured. Still, the pace of it was quick, and sometimes even Shisui found himself getting lost. But he did get the gist of it. Woah, the Elric guy was already learning how to create new jutsus.

But Itachi was never lost.

The twelve year old Uchiha was taking in everything with a glint of interest that had never been present during his conversations with Shisui, and responding accordingly, with a level of enthusiasm Shisui would never have thought Itachi could pull off. Truly, this was what true friends should be like.

Shisui and Itachi weren't friends like that. Shisui had wanted to help Itachi of course, but he had his own best friends. Itachi was someone whom Shisui looked after, would bother just for the heck of it during numerous occasions, much like a little brother. They weren't... _equal_.

Despite Itachi's superior ninja skills, Shisui had a sneaking suspicion the younger Uchiha looked up to him.

Well, it wasn't like it mattered now. Itachi would be fine now, with or without Shisui's help, because he had found someone that would take care of him whether he wanted it or not. A true friend. Someone who would be listened to even if Itachi didn't want it, unlike an older brother in the shadows who only interfered when it came to his mind. Yep, Shisui was quite glad Itachi had met Elric.

Just then, Shisui heard it.

Itachi and Elric seemed to have noticed too, for they suddenly stopped talking. Elric tilted his head towards the source of the noise and smiled softly, while Itachi just sighed. Were they expecting someone else? Whoever it was, they were not very good at keeping quiet. It almost sounded like...

"Aniki! Nii-san!" Sasuke burst into the clearing, bits of leaves stuck in his untameable hair, "What are we going to train today?"

Itachi frowned, ever so slightly, and Shisui frowned with him. He wasn't quite sure what it was that changed Itachi's mood so suddenly. Was it that Itachi didn't want to spend time with his younger brother? Well that was no good, for an older brother to hate a younger one. Perhaps Shisui should...

Itachi stepped forward, "Sasuke, I think-"

"We should go play Gamiyu," Elric interrupted lightly, looking up at the sun's position, "Looks to be afternoon already. We've done enough training for today Itachi; it's time to relax."

Was it really? From what Shisui had seen, Itachi and Elric weren't the least bit tired. They had done no intense training today. However... if he estimated correctly, now would be the time that the Academy ended, which meant that Sasuke came straight from afterschool training and was probably already tired. Was Elric only saying this for Sasuke's sake?

The little Uchiha seemed to have the same thoughts, and he voiced so aloud, ending with- "And you and Nii-san never get tired!"

Elric shook his head, then moved closer to Sasuke and bent down so he could whisper into the smallest Uchiha's ear. Shisui heard of course, and he assumed Itachi did as well, if the slight twitch of the eyebrows were anything to go by.

"You should know that Gamiyu is Itachi's favourite game," Elric whispered, making Sasuke's eyes first go wide with surprise, then narrow with understanding. "But he just feels like he's wasting time if we don't drag him down to play it."

Well, well, what a manipulative boy little Elric was. Although of course, Gamiyu could have been Itachi's favourite game for all Shisui knew, but he also saw the other motive for Elric telling Sasuke such. If it were something his precious older brother wanted to do, then of course Sasuke wouldn't object. As for Itachi... well Shisui hoped that the heir to the Uchiha clan was learning to love his brother under Elric's influence.

"Anyway," Elric straightened, brushing off imaginary dust as he did. "Shall we go play?"

Itachi gave no response, and Elric took that as a positive. Sasuke on the other hand was grinning from ear to ear, and Shisui had to assume that despite all of Sasuke's complaining, the youngest Uchiha rather liked the game too.

Elric took a few steps away from the clearing, only assuming that Itachi would follow, before he suddenly turned around and looked right at the spot where Shisui was hiding. "So, are you coming or not?"

Shisui blinked; he was not only a master at the art of the Body Flicker, but also escaping detection. After all, those two techniques tended to go hand in hand. In fact, he was so good at it that even Itachi had a hard time sensing him, and that was coming from the master of silent killing himself. Yet, somehow, this Elric had noticed he was here...

Well, well.

* * *

"Hokage-sama," Edward murmured, bowing lowly.

The Sandaime's lips twitched, the serious expression on his face disappearing for a split second, "Now Edward, when did you turn into Itachi?"

Itachi. That name struck like a chord.

Itachi had been acting oddly for the past two months. Growing distant from his clan, becoming... disrespectful. Edward himself hadn't seen it, but Sasuke had told him about the arguments he heard between Itachi and their father. For Itachi to try to not to give the slightest indication that something was wrong to Edward... was worrying.

Edward had confronted Itachi on numerous occasions, and it looked like the Uchiha was finally wearing down. But _what_ exactly was Itachi wearing down from? What couldn't he tell his best friend of two years?

Edward was getting ready to pound the answer out of the silent Uchiha.

"Oh dear," The Hokage said with a frown, "It looks like a poor choice of words on my part."

"Huh?" Whoops, he must have zoned out, "Uh no, I was just thinking. He'll come around."

"Come around?" The Sandaime asked curiously, "From what?"

"He's been acting odd," Edward reported, though he was unsure of whether or not he should be telling someone else this. But hey, this was the Hokage, and the first person to trust Edward. Besides, Itachi was deathly loyal to Konoha; he wouldn't mind if the Hokage knew, would he? Plus, the Sandaime might know what was going on, and could help Edward.

Ugh, now it just sounded like Edward was making excuses for himself.

"Odd how?" The Sandaime asked, his eyebrows ceased and lips drawn downwards.

"Odd like..." Edward shrugged, frustrated with his lack of words to describe Itachi's actions, "He's... withdrawn. Concerned. He tries to hide it around me, but I know him too well, and I knew people like him too well. Plus, he's been having arguments with his family, and Itachi... even if he doesn't agree someone, he always pretends he does. Itachi always bottles things up, but I don't think he's at his snapping point yet. There's got to be another explanation."

"Was it...?" The Hokage trailed off, but Edward knew where he was leading.

Edward shook his head, "No, this was before Shisui was declared MIA."

Shisui... Edward felt his heart thump a little at the name. Shisui hadn't been around them a lot, but when he had it was always enjoyable. He had the sort of magnetic personality that attracted people to him, much like Hughes. And then, he was just... gone. Missing In Action. Died doing an important mission for the Uchiha clan. When Edward wasn't there. Just like Hughes.

His death had a more profound effect on Itachi of course, probably like Hughes's death had been for Edward. The blond had given the Uchiha a week to mourn, before finally stepping in and demanding that he move on, similar to how Itachi had demanded it the day after Edward's vision about The Gate. It was then that Edward noticed Itachi's odd behaviour, and how it had been odd a good two weeks prior to Shisui's fateful mission. Edward was ashamed that he hadn't realized it earlier.

"Now was it...?" The Hokage gave Edward a long look, almost as if he were contemplating telling Edward something. Well, Edward wasn't going to wait.

"Do you know what's going on?" He blurted out.

"Hm? Ah, no. I was just thinking that it's probably a bad time to tell you the reason I called you here."

Oh, was that really it? Huh, looked like after all these years Edward was still bad a reading people. Even if he lived as a ninja. Edward shook his head, indicating it was fine, "Go ahead. We just got off topic. It's not something you really need to worry about either."

For the briefest moment, Edward though he saw something akin to guilt flash across the Sandaime's face... but he must have been mistaken. After all, why would the Hokage feel guilty? Besides, the expression definitely wasn't there now.

"Yes well," The Hokage looked down, and Edward followed his gaze to the file placed neatly on the desk. Edward should have known; that was going to be his mission. Usually, the missions the Sandaime gave Edward were classified or involved some sort of information that couldn't be written, hence the reason a Special Jounin had to do it. It made sense that the Hokage would especially call Edward up to the tower rather than give it to him in the large room of missions.

"This is an A-rank mission," The Sandaime said, pushing the file towards Edward, "It's actually fairly straightforward, and the only reason I called you to do it was because..."

"It's suited to me," Edward answered as he leafed through the file, feeling his eyebrows climb higher with every page, "Perfectly almost."

"Yes," The Sandaime nodded, looking at Edward's expression carefully, "Anyone could do it, but only you I think, can do the best and most efficient job. But this mission... Edward I have a bad feeling about it. It's almost as this mission was tailored for you. I can't think of anyone else who could do it except maybe Itachi, and even then your unique skills are still more suited. It's up to you whether to take it or not."

"I see," Edward murmured, putting the mission file back down. It was almost creepy how much the mission suited him, and the Sandaime might be right in that it could be a trap, but also... "Don't some missions just 'suit' certain ninjas?"

The Sandaime hesitated, "Well yes but- perhaps you're right. Anyhow, it would be a great help to me if you took this, because it would certainly cut down the mission time by half, and free up other jounin to do other A-ranks, but... but I could also be losing someone very valuable to m- the village if this were indeed a trap."

Edward thought about it. It was true, this mission could have been fabricated by someone who wanted him dead, and wanted to make sure that it was he who died, but Edward couldn't think of anyone like that. Sure, he'd made some enemies, but no major ones who could pull of something like this and hope to succeed. Also, he knew very few people who actually knew his skill set this well and could make a mission that was sure to only have the best results if he did it. After all, he kept his Alchemy skills an absolute secret, and only the Hokage and Itachi knew about his Alkehestry. So...

"I'll be fine," Edward decided, shuffling the mission file into his coat pocket as he made to leave, "Besides, running away is never going to solve anything, right? If this is a trap, I'll expose it."

And with that, Edward left the building.

It was surprisingly, an easy mission. Exactly as the report had said, and no nasty surprises. If the mission were tailored for him, it had to just be a very happy coincidence. It was probably one of the most unadventurous and boring missions that Edward had been to for a long time. By the time Edward got back though, it was a different story, and he suddenly, with frightening clarity, knew exactly why such a mission had been given to him.

When Edward got back, he found the village in chaos.

* * *

A/n: Wow, I'm quite amazed actually at the reception of the last chapter. I actually can't believe that so many people thought Edward really died... or were you all just saying that as a 'just in case'? :P Anyhow, thank you all for your reviews! So here it is, the next chapter (somewhat) early!

A lot of people have asked about Shisui, so I put him in there. Sorry if it seems sudden, but I seriously couldn't think of a way to fit him in... Oh and, in case anyone was confused, Gamiyu was Itachi's favourite game (and it's not real, so don't go searching for it) it's just that Shisui didn't know. As you can see, Itachi didn't kill Shisui this time.


	9. Nine

A/n: Somehow summer is even busier than school... well anyway, Uchiha Night Massacre happens a little differently, so if you find yourself confused and thinking 'wait a minute, this didn't happen', don't worry, you're not going insane. :)

Chapter 9- A Night to Remember

Edward stared out the window, his eyes unseeing. He still couldn't really believe what he had heard, what Itachi had supposedly done.

But the evidence, it was right there. The streets of the Uchiha residence were empty, Edward could feel that with his Alkehestry, yet the whole place reeked of death. Numerous ninja had witnessed the fleeing young genius from the scene of the crime, and unless a genjutsu which could affect twenty jounin was cast, there was no denying it.

And Sasuke.

"Edward?"

The blond turned away from the closed glass, focusing golden eyes on the other person in the room. Hiruzen Sarutobi. The Hokage of Konoha. He looked tired, and his age was more pronounced than ever. The Sandaime was sitting behind his desk with his hands clasped together in front of him, no doubt trying to look professional and impartial. Edward knew better than that.

Edward had requested an audience with the Hokage, and despite these busy times the Sandaime had granted it to him. He supposed he shouldn't be wasting the Sandaime's time. No doubt there were many others harping at the Hokage's door, wanting _something_ to be done about Ita...

"I'd like to request leave," Edward said, stepping away from the windowpane and to the front of the Hokage's desk. He saw the Sandaime's eyes widen in surprise, and could not help but feel a little bad for requesting something so selfish in a time where the Hokage most needed him. Still, this was something he had to do. "I'd like to go travel the world for a year... with Sasuke."

For a moment, the Hokage seemed even more surprised, and then he nodded in understanding, "Ah... I see. You want him to get away from Konoha, and possibly recover while he's doing so."

"It's a lot to ask I know," Edward murmured, "I know in politics everyone will want to keep the 'last Uchiha' here, but..."

"You are worried about Sasuke's state of mind. No one will see him for just him, and only pity will follow his footsteps. Pity is the last thing he needs. Letting him leave and come back in a year will give everyone a chance to cool down, and allow the Uchiha Massacre to take a rest in the back of their heads. Hm... the council will object to this."

"I know." He had prepared himself for this after all; he knew it wouldn't be easy. It was disgusting, but even Edward knew that nobody wanted the last of the Sharingan eyes outside of Konoha. He would have to use every last drop of his wit to persuade the Sandaime to let Sasuke go. The Sandaime himself Edward knew, would gladly let Sasuke traverse the world, but the Hokage also needed valid points to argue against the council with. No, more than valid. They had to be _faultless_.

"Hm, well then you know how much you owe me when you get back."

Edward opened his mouth to deliver a brilliant counter, then stopped as the Sandaime's words sunk in. Wait... _what_? He blinked, not quite sure he had heard it correctly, but when he replayed the conversation again... no, no the Sandaime had definitely just agreed to-

The Hokage chuckled, "Edward, you do resemble yesterday's dinner right now. Fish, if I recall correctly."

Edward closed his mouth, but his thoughts were still unbelieving, "Did you just say- did you just- _we can go? _Just like that?"

"I thought you'd be pleased," The Hokage said in amusement.

"But- but- what about the council? You just said-"

"The council is for me to deal with," The Hokage interrupted kindly, "Edward, keep in mind that becoming Hokage does not only depend on strength alone. If I daresay it, my political and persuasive skills would be on a completely different level than yours. I can already think of a number of ways I can convince the majority of the council to let Sasuke leave, least of which is that it'll endear him to Konoha all the more. It's only the minority that'll cause me a headache."

This- this- Edward blinked, and sat down on the chair beside him.

The Hokage chuckled, "Remember, you're not the only genius in Konoha."

...no, he wasn't. But he was one of the only ones left, after...

The Sandaime seemed to have sensed Edward's change in mood, for his voice suddenly changed to something much softer, "Edward... how are you holding up?"

"Still a little in shock," Edward answered honestly, or at least, somewhat honestly. Truth was, a part of him wasn't allowing himself to move from the shock part, because if he did, he knew he would think about the inconsistencies and- and he had a feeling that it wouldn't end well for him or Itachi if he started sprouting off about conspiracies.

The Hokage nodded in understanding, steeping his fingers together. He bowed his head, a tone of sadness in his voice, "Edward... Don't dwell too much on Itachi's actions. He... I know he was your friend, and obviously values you because he sent you out of the village during the day of the massacre, but perhaps it'd be better if you think of that as something of the past. He is sadly, Konoha's enemy now."

Was he? Yes, yes he was. And Edward had chosen Konoha over Amestris, had he not? Wait... no, he had chosen _Itachi and Sasuke_ over Amestris, not just Konoha...

"Hokage-sama!" A loud voice interrupted Edward's thoughts, and a second later he heard the door bang open, "The last Uchiha is awake!"

Edward flinched at the choice of words, and the Sandaime looked at the messenger sharply.

"Masato," The Hokage said harshly, "Kindly do not barge into my private meetings. If we were discussing an S-class mission or secret, you would be executed."

There was a moment of silence, where Edward had to squash the urge to turn around and look at this 'Masato's' reaction. Then, after what seemed liked forever, Masato spoke, his voice decidedly ashamed, "I- I- I'm sorry Hokage-sama. I just thought you wanted- but that's no excuse. I should have knocked at least. I apologize deeply; I won't do it again."

The Sandaime smiled, "I shall hold you to that. That being said however... thank you for letting us know. Edward, shall we?"

Edward nodded, rising from his chair at the same time the Hokage did. A little part of him was still in awe about the way the Hokage had handled Masato's behaviour, much like a stern parent would to a child. First, the Hokage had let Masato know what was not allowed, and let Masato feel suitably ashamed for it, and then the Sandaime had complimented Masato and let Masato know that he was loved. Although Edward didn't doubt for a moment that the Sandaime truly felt this way, the way he phrased it would bring maximum effect. Master manipulator indeed. Should Edward have even been worried about the Hokage's ability to fend off the council?

The three of them walked towards the hospital, with the Hokage making light conversation with Masato along the way. Thankfully, he didn't try to draw Edward in, probably sensing that the blond was occupied with other thoughts.

They went up a flight of stairs, turned past three corridors, and finally, in front of them stood the white door to Sasuke's room. Edward drew in a breath as Masato pushed the door open. He had seen Sasuke already, but Sasuke had been unconscious then, and Edward hadn't had to see-

"Hokage-sama," Sasuke said bleakly, his eyes dull as he stared blankly at the three of them. His bed was parallel to the door, and Sasuke was sitting sideways, but his face was turned towards them as he clutched the hospital sheets tightly.

Masato bowed low, and left, while the Hokage took a step forwards, "Sasuke... how are you feeling?"

"I am not harmed," Sasuke replied in that same, horrible blank tone of his, "All I sustained were bruises."

The Sandaime's figure slumped slightly, but he nodded anyway, "I see. Well then, I am glad you are uninjured. I shall take my leave now, and allow the visitor who is truly worried about you to come in."

With that, the Hokage swept an arm towards Edward, forcing Sasuke's eyes to follow the motion. For a split second, Sasuke startled, his eyes regaining some of the sparkle that Edward associated with him. "Aniki?"

The Sandaime turned away, and only Edward saw his soft smile as the Hokage blew past him, closing the door firmly shut as he made his leave. For a moment, Edward could do nothing, not sure what to say, but Sasuke saved him.

"You're... you're... you're alive..." Sasuke whispered brokenly, tears forming at the edges of his eyes and crawling down his face to land with a soft _plop_ on the white blankets. "You... I thought you..."

And then there were no more words. Sasuke chocked, buried his face in his hands, and cried. Really, truly cried. His whole body was racking with sobs, knees pressed tightly to his chest as if he was trying to get smaller and disappear.

Edward hesitated, and then decided to do what he always did with Al when the younger blond turned hysterical. Itachi was not here to comfort Sasuke now, and Edward could not force his black haired friend to act like a brother. So... so Edward would take Itachi's place... for now...

He moved forward, sitting beside the eight year old boy and pulling Sasuke into a hard hug. He allowed Sasuke to bury his face in Edward's chest, muffled voice letting out screams of frustration and pain as Edward rubbed soft circles on the dark haired boy's back.

Edward wanted to tell Sasuke that it was fine, that it would all be okay, but he couldn't get the words past his lips. Because it _wouldn't_ be fine, it _wouldn't_ be okay, not when something like this had happened. Sasuke had lost _everything_; his mother, his father, even his brother. Edward being here was a small compensation; he was an outsider to the Uchiha clan and the best friend of the murder.

Even the losses Edward went through couldn't compare. When he had lost his father, he had been too young to really miss him. Van Hohenhiem's departure affected Edward because it had affected Mother, made her stare sadly at pieces of furniture he had touched whenever she thought her children weren't looking. When Mother died, Al had been there for Edward, sharing the grief and the pain, understanding and comforting. Finally, Edward could no longer see Al... well that was a conscious decision wasn't it? Edward had chosen not to go back to Al, knowing and drawing comfort from the fact that Al was alive and well.

Sasuke's situation was different. The eight year old boy had everything ripped from him, without warning and without mercy. Edward could not offer words of empathy, and he knew that sympathy would be the worst thing to give.

So instead, Edward simply closed his eyes, and continued tracing soft circles, his grip on the Uchiha tightening ever so slightly.

Finally, after what could have been an eternity and could have been a few seconds, Sasuke's sobs subsided. Sasuke seemed to go slack in Edward's grip, energy completely depleted from his release. Edward let go, but didn't get up from the bed.

"You know," Sasuke said, his voice still bleak but not quite as emotionless as before, "It's Uchiha clan policies to never show your emotions in front of non-Uchihas."

"You always stunk at doing that." The words were out of Edward's mouth before he could help it.

Sasuke smiled slightly, "Yeah, I know. I was never the perfect Uchiha, and now I'm the only one left."

Edward hesitated, wondering if he should say what he really thought, and decided that Sasuke deserved to know. "That's not true... there's still Itachi."

Sasuke's eyes flashed, "Him? The murderer? He killed his own parents Aniki, my parents. The clan, too. How can he still be considered an Uchiha? How can you still say that? Or is the reason that you're still alive and breathing because you helped him the massacre?"

Edward took a breath, and told himself to be calm. Sasuke needed that. It was only reasonable that Sauske wouldn't trust anyone; after all, he had just been betrayed by the one he trusted most. So why did Edward feel a tinge of pain? "No Sasuke, I would never help with murder, you know that. I was just as clueless about this as you... though I should have seen it I suppose. Itachi had been acting oddly months before this..."

Sasuke looked down, ashamed, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean- but where were you? I thought... I thought Ita- I thought you'd died, because I hadn't seen you for the past two weeks. I mean, usually you're on a mission but-"

Edward nodded; he understood. Missions were supposed to be kept secret, so whenever he disappeared for long periods of time Sasuke just assumed he was on a mission. However, at the time of the massacre, Sasuke must have thought it was something much more sinister.

"Well, I'm here now," Edward said simply, and winced. Ugh, why was he so bad at acting soothing?

"Yeah," Sasuke said in a small voice, "You are. I... I'm glad."

Edward hesitated, then squashed down the feeling. When had he ever been so indecisive? He wrapped his arm around Sasuke's shoulder –the arm that would have been automail once upon a time- ignored Sasuke's flinch, and pulled the boy closer. He himself had used to act like he hated contact, but in reality-

Sasuke trembled at first, shaking uncontrollably at the contact. His mind was probably flashing to the night of the massacre, where Itachi did things that no brother should do. Sasuke might not have trusted human contact after that, especially one that was not initiated by him.

And then Sasuke relaxed, tremors subsiding as he slumped bonelessly in Edward's hold. Edward felt the bottom of his shirt cluster, and somehow knew that Sasuke had switched his iron hard grip from the sheets to Edward's shirt.

"Do you know what he did?" Sasuke asked softly after a long moment of companionable silence, "The night that he mur- that I came home late from weapons practice?"

Edward startled slightly, hardly able to believe what Sasuke was saying. Was Sasuke... offering to talk about it? He hadn't thought that Sasuke would even want to touch the subject, let alone offer to talk about it.

Before Edward entered the hospital room, he had squashed and crushed all his burning questions and uncertainty about Itachi, knowing they would only bring Sasuke pain. Edward's brain had been nicking and picking at all the possibilities, sometimes trying to make excuses for Itachi and sometimes condemning Edward for not noticing Itachi's insanity. Edward needed to know the facts, but the only person who knew what happened that night was Sasuke Uchiha, and Edward was not willing to let Sasuke pay the price for Edward's ease.

And now... Sasuke was willing to offer the information to him. Edward swallowed. This couldn't be easy for Sasuke. "If... if you want to wait to talk, I'm sure that even the Sandaime will not push you."

"No," Sasuke shook his head, his grip on Edward's shirt tightening if possible, "I can't wait. I don't think I can tell anyone if I wait. Besides, you... I trust you. Can you... can you tell the Hokage when I'm done?"

Letting out a breath, Edward nodded, "Anything you want."

For a moment, a wry smile played across Sasuke's lips, "Anything? Aniki, you should have known better." And then the smile disappeared, as Sasuke systematically recounted exactly what he had seen that night. Sometimes Sasuke couldn't hold his monotone, and he would break down in anger or tears, but somehow, he got through the whole story. It was a frightening, heart tearing story, but at the same time...

"It just doesn't make sense," Edward said as soon as the story was done, the words out of his mouth before he could help it. His mind was racing, dissecting and analysing everything that Sasuke had said. It. Didn't. Match. Up.

"Huh?" Sasuke looked up, clearly confused by the sudden change.

Edward swallowed; should he tell Sasuke? On one hand, Sasuke maybe wasn't ready to know, and certainly Edward didn't want to bring false hope if his theory was wrong. On the other hand, he was almost positive his theory _wasn't_ wrong, just as how he was positive that Shou Tucker had turned his daughter into a chimera, how Laboratory Five was a key to the philosopher's stone, how all Envy wanted was to be human. If he was right, did Edward have the right to keep this from Sasuke?

Besides, Sasuke had shown himself more resilient and strong than Edward had guessed. Perhaps... perhaps... "I think that Itachi was maybe forced into killing the clan."

"What?" Sasuke startled, "But he said-"

"I know what he said," Edward reminded Sasuke gently, "But it just doesn't make sense. If Itachi really wanted to 'test his capacity', why the heck would he assassinate everyone in the clan, instead of outright fighting them? He went for subtly, that much I can tell. No matter how you look at it, he was aiming to kill, not to access."

Sasuke's eyes hardened. He jerked away, and Edward flinched as he felt his shirt fall back into place.

"Is that supposed to make me feel better?" Sasuke snarled, "That he just wanted to kill everyone?"

"No, think about it though, why would he lie to you? What motive could he have for killing the Uchiha clan, that he didn't want you to find? That he didn't want _me_ to find. Itachi loves peace, I know that, and he loves you. That's why... you aren't dead right now. What's the connection between those and his slaughter?"

"He didn't kill me because ANBU arrived," Sasuke insisted stubbornly, "He doesn't love peace anymore. He-" Sasuke chocked "-he killed Mother in front of my eyes."

Edward closed his eyes, "I... I know. But, I've worked with Itachi a lot, and I know his skills. I'd hate to say it but- he could have killed you easily before escaping from the ANBU. And then he wouldn't have left any witnesses."

Itachi had really underestimated how much Edward knew him, how much Edward paid attention to what Itachi did. It was actually this point which really got Edward, nagged Edward's brain until he realized something was wrong with Itachi's story. The meticulous, cautious Itachi had made a mistake in his carefully constructed story, and it was because he underestimated how much people really knew him.

"That's-" Sasuke swallowed, but he was an intelligent child and even he could not defy the outright inconsistencies in front of him. Besides, Edward had a feeling Sasuke didn't want to believe in the worst of Itachi. "I- do you really think so?"

The voice so hopeful. If Edward was wrong... Edward clenched his fists; he wasn't wrong, and he wouldn't allow himself to be wrong. "Yes."

"Then-" Sasuke's eyes changed. The hopeless, bottomless pit changed into something that Edward recognized, something that sparkled with an intensity that Edward saw in the mirror every single day. "We've got to clear Itachi nii-san's name. Someone obviously made him do it, and now he has to be on the run from Konoha. It isn't right."

Edward blinked, surprised at Sasuke's sudden change. In some ways Edward was glad, but... Could the Sasuke have also forgiven Itachi for murdering his parents? And then Edward saw it.

Behind those determined black eyes, was a silent pleading. No, Sasuke hadn't forgotten Itachi killing his mother, and that murder was undeniable at least, but he didn't want to think about it. Itachi was Sasuke's last link to a family, and Sasuke was willing to forget in able to get Itachi back. He hadn't forgiven Itachi yet, but he was looking for a reason, and he knew that reason wouldn't be found until they uncovered the conspiracy.

Edward nodded, "Yeah, we've got to get some evidence that Itachi was being controlled or blackmailed. The Hokage will take care of the rest."

At least he hoped so. Itachi was listed as a missing nin now, and to be honest Edward didn't think that Itachi would ever be really reinstated- his crime was too big. Whether it was due to blackmail or not, Itachi had killed Konoha's police force, and unless he was being mind-controlled, it was still against the Hokage's will. Could Itachi really be pardoned for it?

Well in the end it didn't matter, Edward supposed. Itachi could easily make a new life elsewhere, though Edward didn't know Itachi's mentality about killing his clan. The real reason why Edward needed to investigate this... was so that damn part of his brain would stop whispering lies about Itachi's betrayal, about Edward's decision to stay in Konoha being wrong.

And of course, there was Sasuke.

"How should we start finding the evidence?" Sasuke questioned, lifting his eyes to the ceiling. "The records? Seems a little obvious, but you've always taught me that the obvious is what most people miss, right?"

Edward coughed, "Well actually, we'll start to look internationally. I'm taking you out of Konoha for a year; the official reason is to let the village cool down and let the news sink in before presenting you to them."

"What?" Sasuke's head whipped towards him, "You want to... go travelling with me?"

There was something odd in his voice that Edward couldn't identify. The blond shifted uncomfortably, "At this time I think it would be best. I'm sorry if it seems sudden, and if you really don't want it then we don't have to do this. However, please do consider it. I'll teach you everything the academy possibly will, and-"

Before Edward could get the rest of the words out of his mouth, Sasuke had launched himself at him. Sasuke wrapped his arms around the older ninja, and buried his face in Edward's shirt. But, there was something different about this hug than all the previous ones, something that made Edward's heart give a thump inside his chest.

This was a hug that had nothing to do with pain.

* * *

_Two Nights Ago, Uchiha Residence _

The scent of blood was everywhere.

It was strong, repulsive, and filled Itachi's senses. Somehow, it wasn't the same as the other times he'd assassinated people; this felt more...

But perhaps that was because of the people he was killing. The people who had raised him, brought him up, greeted him on his birthday. To be sure, the Uchiha clan had never been warm to him, especially with him being a genius. Even at the tender age of five they had talked to Itachi like adults, giving him books instead of playmates and sharpened tools for assassination instead of toys. At the time Itachi had thankful for it, raised into thinking he didn't need the attention of his peers, and could simply live as the model ninja. Edward had taught him differently.

Itachi hadn't thought of it at the time, and the friendship had started so slow Itachi wasn't sure when it had started at all. But it was there now, present and binding. When Itachi had thought he lost that friendship forever that one day, eleven months ago... he knew that he could not go back to what he was before.

It was a harsh, cold existence; what he had before he met Edward. Now, Itachi truly understood what the difference of protecting one's village to protecting the people within it meant. Itachi had and still did love Sasuke of course, but Itachi had not really _known_ him. Sasuke's likes, dislikes, Itachi had not had time for, but Edward had forced Itachi to get to know his little brother beyond all else. Beyond the ideal.

Sasuke was not perfect. Sasuke whined, bragged, had a competitive streak that could be seen from a mile, but Itachi was fine with that. He thought he might like this flawed Sasuke better than the ideal little brother anyhow.

His heart felt warmer, more assured, more determined than ever. Was this what the Hokage had always tried to teach Itachi, the need to protect one's 'precious people', felt like? If so, than the Uchiha clan was doomed from the very start. They made amazing human weapons, but even weapons were made ineffective if the wielder lacked strength.

Yes, the clan had been wrong in raising him, but they nonetheless took care of his needs.

So it was not wrong was it, to feel sick for murdering them?

Smiling grimly, and knowing that he was pale, Itachi looked away from the butchered corpses of the people he used to know, and turned his head towards the Uchiha house. The Uchiha house. The house of the head of the clan. His house. He started walking towards it.

No doubt his father would already be on alert, having felt something off, but Itachi wasn't going to give him more warning than that. His skill had improved too much during his time in ANBU.

He heard his father before he saw him.

Fugaku was an amazing ninja yes, but he was out of practise for assassinations. As soon as Itachi stepped within the paper walls, he knew that the head of the Uchiha clan was hiding behind the living room door. His slightly jilted breathing made that clear.

Itachi moved, shifting slightly to the right as a kunai whizzed past him, followed by an earth jutsu which he had to jump to avoid.

"Why?" His father rasped out, finally coming out into the moonlight, abandoning the shadows in favour of seeing his son face to face, "Why are you doing this? Why have you betrayed the clan?"

His father looked bad; bags under his eyes and face set with wrinkles- nothing like the proud clansman he had been. But then Itachi supposed, he himself couldn't have looked much better. Still, he knew his father hadn't shown himself for the pure purpose for asking that question, though of course it might have been part of it. No, the reason Fugaku had showed himself was so-

Itachi let fly the poisoned kunai he had hidden in his palm, and a split second later there was a gasp and then a thump as Mikako fell down from the rafters. Itachi met Fugaku's wide eyes, and he knew it was over.

"How did you...?"

"I heard her," Itachi answered calmly, though it wasn't calmness he felt inside. The poison was meant to paralyze within a second, kill within ten minutes. "She has not been in any important missions in thirteen years; how could she match an ANBU captain?"

"You monster!" Fugaku snarled, "How could you act so coldly towards the woman who birthed you?"

"Were you not planning to ambush me together? Or how about... betray the very village which gave you life? Tell me _Father_, what is the purpose of the coup? Did you think that the Uchiha would gain more prestige, more power, and finally defeat those Senju that have always been admired by the village? Even though we are already the most esteemed clan within Konoha? No... we have been far too grasping. We could never gain that respect through violence Father, you have seen it wrongly."

"So you have sided with them?" Fugaku demanded, taking a step closer to Itachi, "Betrayed your clan because you think we are _too grasping_? You are wrong! It is Konoha that is too grasping, wishing to have things that they will never understand! We, the Konoha police, we do everything in this village! Without us, there would be no Konoha! This land- _our_ land; this land is meant to be ours!"

Itachi sighed, "You are wrong... Father. The Hokage gave the Uchiha the position as village guards because of a wish not to offend the clan; you are misunderstanding the politics. The Uchiha have grown too proud with their power. Can you not understand that we as the Uchiha are not the only ones who matter, but rather only a part that helps Konoha function as a whole? This will never be solely the Uchiha's land."

"They... they..." For a moment, Fugaku looked at a loss, before his face once again twisted into a spiteful expression, "They brainwashed you! I knew I never should have allowed you to join the Hokage's personal guard. He purposefully-"

"The Sandaime had nothing to do with this," Itachi interrupted sharply. And indeed, the kind old man would never order a mass execution like this, or order Itachi to do it. That pleasure fell to Danzo.

"So ready to defend him," Fugaku took another few steps forwards, until he was almost nose to nose with Itachi, "Your _Hokage_."

"The Uchiha swore allegiance to the Hokage," Itachi answered unflinchingly, simply staring back into Fugaku's red eyes unblinkingly.

"You are no longer an Uchiha," Fugaku spat, and then he did something that even Itachi didn't expect.

_Slap!_

Itachi reeled, his hand making a jerking movement towards his cheek. Father... Father had never-

"And..." Fugaku said spitefully, "You are no longer my son."

Before Itachi could react, Fugaku lunged forwards, revealing the short blade he had hidden and slicing it across Itachi's neck. Blood splurged out like a fountain, soaking the attacker's hand with blood. Fugaku stumbled back, eyes wide, "H-how?"

"Ah, so you have figured it out," Itachi commented, passing a hand over his throat and then suddenly the cut was no longer there. "As expected. However... you are already trapped within my illusion."

"Since the time I looked into your eyes..." The Clan Head whispered with bulging eyes, and then suddenly he threw back his head and let out a loud, crazed laugh. Itachi felt his heart jump; not sure how to feel about this development. "Ahahaha! My own flesh and blood, the one I trained from birth... you are now using the Uchiha techniques to kill this clan?"

Itachi had to swallow many times before he could reply, but Fugaku was already too deep in insanity to notice. Fugaku's thread to reason had snapped with the knowledge that it was his son who defeated him in the thing he prided on most, and he would lose his life for it. Itachi had caused that.

He... he had...

No! He couldn't think about it. He had a mission to complete.

Itachi closed his eyes, and when he opened them again he was collected. Or at least, outwardly.

Suddenly, Fugaku's laughter stopped.

"Kill me now," Fugaku said, his eyes blazing with an odd intensity, "You traitor."

Traitor...

Traitor...

Ah yes, that was why he was doing this, why he was burying filial duty and murdering his parents. Slaughtering people who had no chance to defend themselves. Despite the fact that he was born an Uchiha, raised an Uchiha, expected to behave like an Uchiha...

Itachi closed his eyes, and it was over. In the real world Fugaku Uchiha collapsed, landing with a thump beside his wife. Here, not even a second had passed, and here it seemed like the long conversation with had never happened. Itachi took a few steps forwards, until he was right above the bodies of his parents.

"I never betrayed the clan," Itachi said blankly, staring at the dead eyes of Fath-no, Fugaku. "I have never been loyal to it."

Yes, that was right, it was Konoha that controlled his strings. He would dance for it like a well trained marionette, one who had no heart and a face made of wood. From today on, Itachi Uchiha could no longer have emotions, or else he was afraid he'd go insane. And he couldn't afford that. He had to deceive Madara and help Konoha in the shadows, and he couldn't do that if he were to break down. If he broke down... he knew he would never get up again.

"Father! Mother!"

No... Sasuke. Not now, not now! Itachi closed his eyes, trying to make his voice as normal as possible, "Sasuke, don't come in."

The door slid open, and Itachi couldn't stop it. He was frozen. Sasuke's head poked out from the other side, face transforming into an expression of horror, "Brother! Brother! Father and Mother are...! Why? Why? Who the hell... this..."

There was no use then. Sasuke had witnessed everything. Faster than Sasuke could follow, Itachi threw a kunai, the tractity and strength of it forcing the door to close behind Sasuke. It made a slight cut on Sasuke's shoulder. It wasn't supposed to do that. Inwardly, Itachi laughed bitterly; his emotions were too high strung even for him to throw properly.

"Foolish little brother," Itachi murmured, wondering what the best way to keep Sasuke alive was. He could explain this to Madara easily enough, but how to do it so Sasuke wouldn't get suspicious...? "It was to measure my capacity."

He could sprout some nonsense about wanting Sasuke to surpass him, and if Itachi did it convincingly enough then Sasuke would believe it. However... such a method would scar Sasuke for life. No, what Itachi wanted was for Sasuke to live normally after this, forget Itachi and move on. Live a good life with Edward, and forget the Uchiha pride. He knew his best friend could provide that.

"You- no way- brother you would never- don't joke like that!"

Well then, he supposed he first had to convince Sasuke that he was indeed the murderer. Sasuke had to get rid of any attachment to Itachi if Sasuke wanted to continue living peacefully. Feeling slightly sick about what he was planning to do, Itachi kicked over his mother's body. she was still breathing. Good. "Do not be stubborn. Look, Mother is still alive."

Sasuke had come in before he could finish her off completely, though now she was unconscious. Inwardly, Itachi wondered if his ancestors were playing a joke on him. For convincing Sasuke, this couldn't have been more perfect, but for keeping Itachi's sanity...

"What?" Sasuke ran over without any regard towards his safety, checking Mother's pulse with a relieved expression on his face, "Yeah, mom's fine! If she could just get medical attention then-"

Itachi picked out another kunai as if he were simply choosing fabric for clothes, and imbedded it deep within Mother's throat. She gurgled, and then her pulse was gone. Sasuke jerked back, wide eyed. Shaking, the black haired boy looked up to his older brother, hardly breathing, "You- you-"

"It was to measure my capacity," Itachi repeated. He had finally thought of a way to convince Sasuke that he wasn't doing this for an alternative reason. He would just keep Sasuke talking until the other ninja showed up, and then Itachi would escape, 'forgetting' to kill Sasuke. It wasn't the most believable, but it was the best thing he could do without any previous preparation.

"T-to test your capacity? That's all? That's the reason you killed everyone?"

Itachi lowered his eyes, his mind on something else altogether. When Sasuke said it like that, was it really right for Itachi to murder the whole clan for the sake of Konoha? Was there another way? No, no he couldn't afford to think like that, not when the deed was already done. His next words were as much for himself as for Sasuke. "It was essential."

"Bull." Sasuke clenched his fists, his voice coming out shaky.

Itachi frowned at Sasuke's use of language; had he learned that from Edward? A second later he almost laughed at himself; at a time like this, and Itachi was worrying about something as insignificant as Sasuke's choice of words?

"Believe what you wish," Itachi said coldly, "That is my reason."

He had read in psychology books somewhere that pretending not to care about the other person's opinion in a situation like this was the best way for them to believe it.

"Against kids too?" Sasuke questioned, his eyes disbelieving, "If it were to 'test your capacity', why-?"

So Sasuke could still reason under pressure. Well, that was good. If Sasuke were to ever become a ninja, he would need that skill. "Family members fight more fiercely to protect a child, otherwise this would all be too easy. Children also act as witnesses and beacons, so I made sure they would not scream and alert the others."

It was almost scary how quick this reasoning came to him. He double checked to make sure he wasn't making any contradictions.

"You- you- how could you-"

Ah, the ANBU had finally arrived. Itachi gave Sasuke a blank stare, "You still don't believe me? Well then, witness it for yourself."

_Mangekyou Sharingan_. Itachi blinked, and when he opened his eyes again they were spinning with his hard won pattern. He didn't want Sasuke to know of this accursed eye technique, the one Itachi had gotten when Edward nearly died. He sent the vision of the slaughter of the village; once was enough, enough to make Sasuke believe him finally, and hate. Enough that Sasuke would give up on Itachi, but continue on with his new life.

Sasuke gasped, and fell to his knees. He looked up at Itachi with an expression of horror; a true one this time. Itachi squashed down the feeling of guilt that rose within him, and showingly cocked his head to one side as if he had just heard something.

"ANBU," He hissed, just loud enough for Sasuke to hear, but quiet enough so that Sasuke would think that he wasn't have supposed to heard. In one fluid motion Itachi passed by where Sasuke was kneeling, opened the door he had jammed, and escaped into the darkness.

He had only made it a few steps when the ANBU really did catch up with him. Despite being exhausted to the bone, Itachi was able to catch their eye. It was all over after that. The streets were turning blurry, but the two now unconscious ANBU officers made up for it. Itachi turned to leave-

And his forehead protector fell to the ground with a rattling clang, as the strings tying it together were cut by a kunai. He did not miss the implications of the act; whoever had done it thought Itachi a missing nin. Itachi stared for a moment at the metal band etched with the symbol of a leaf, before finally turning blank eyes to the perpetrator. Sasuke was standing half crouched, panting harshly as his eyes blazed red with a newly awakened Sharingan.

Somehow, his brother had followed him here, and decided that he could match Itachi. That was dangerous thinking. Especially for Itachi, who was tiring and could not sense enemies as well, and had trained his body not to react to Sasuke's sneak attacks. For the last time that night, Itachi activated the Mangekyou Sharingan, sending Sasuke off into a world of blank darkness. Sasuke's body dropped to the ground, seemingly lifeless as sleep overtook him.

Itachi moved forward again, and this time he was not interrupted.

Madara was waiting for him at the edge of Konoha, "What took you so long?"

"I wished to take a little longer with my family," Itachi answered in a monotone. They stared running. For some time, all that could be heard was the faint footfalls of pattering feet, and even then the sounds were only available to a well trained ear, who could hear behind the rustling leaves and cricking grasshoppers.

Finally, Madara broke the silence, but his voice was anything but pleasant. "Take longer to torture your parents you mean? Or perhaps you're referring to taking longer to talk to your little brother?"

Itachi stiffened, ever so slightly; it sounded like a threat and Madara knew it. By Madara's sharpening of the eyes, the elder Uchiha hadn't missed Itachi's body tension either. Itachi let out a small breath, keeping his voice as calm as always, "I had already explained that Sasuke can-"

"Of course you have." Madara interrupted with a mocking grin, "No need to get defensive Itachi. Remember that I once had a brother, too."

How could Itachi forget? And how could Itachi forget the unspeakable thing that Madara did to his very own flesh and blood?

Itachi couldn't allow himself to think about it; or else his killer intent might leak out and alert Madara that he wasn't as loyal as he claimed. He had to get off this subject, "Why did you send Edward away?"

There, that was ample distraction. Itachi was curious. He had been searching for a way to put Edward out of action for the night of the massacre, so Edward wouldn't sense what was going on and come to investigate, but when Itachi arrived to the Hokage's office he found out that Edward was already on a mission. A very detailed, meticulous mission that was designed to get Edward out of Konoha.

He had instantly knew who put the request in, but he didn't know _why_.

"Ah, Edward Elric I presume? Interesting question, and I suppose it has an equally interesting answer. You see, I didn't want to have to kill him."

...

Madara must have sensed Itachi's unease, because suddenly he grinned frighteningly, showing all his teeth, "A little while ago, I heard an interesting story about someone being brought back from the dead. Now, that isn't impossible of course. Rare, but not impossible... except that this person didn't require a sacrifice."

Itachi stiffened; he had a terrible feeling that he knew what Madara was talking about. So then, there was no point in denying it. Taking a small breath, Itachi made sure to keep his voice as calm as ever, but something in Madara's sharp gaze made Itachi feel as if the elder Uchiha had seen right through him.

"I replaced his heart," Itachi said evenly, jumping with more force than usual to avoid the slightly higher treebranch five meters ahead of him, "His brain did not sustain substantial damage within that time and he was extremely lucky. The blood type of the replaced heart matched his, as did the white blood cells. It was a one in one thousand chance, but not impossible."

Madara smiled coyly, "Don't play dumb with me Itachi. It doesn't suit you. You know as well as I do that replacing a heart shouldn't have- _couldn't_ have allowed someone to live without any sever repercussions, despite matching blood. If Edward-kun indeed experienced any consequences from his ordeal, they are small enough that he can hide it. _That_ is not possible."

"The fact that _you're_ alive shouldn't be possible," Itachi murmured, hoping to take Madara off this track.

Madara paused, looking back with such a look of amusement that Itachi instantly knew he had made a mistake. "Yes... you're right. I am living an impossibility, but now I'm not the only one."

"Isn't that a threat for you?" It wasn't that Itachi wanted Edward to die, it was rather that Itachi knew that Madara had already thought of this. There was no harm in asking this question, and if Itachi was lucky he would get an answer.

Madara laughed, turning away and starting to run again, "Yes... precious little Edward could be a threat, but not to me. I think... he will be the key to something that I want very badly..."

THE END

(of Arc 1)


	10. Interlude: Power Levels

Interlude: Clear Ups On…

**Power Levels**

This will be from when the chuunin exams in the regular Naruto timeline starts. I've scourged the pages for some sort of ranking, and I've ended up with this. It was originally for my own reference, but I've decided that it'd be good for readers to have a reference as well. Of course, this will not be 100% accurate, as obviously some people are simply more suited to fighting other people, and the 'weakest' ninja might be able to defeat someone 8 ranks higher than them because they have a special ability which just happens to be the higher ranked ninja's weakness. However, this ranking is created to the best of my ability and will be a rough estimate of where everyone's aptitude lies. So… I hope that it helps.

Lowest Ability

I

I

I

V

Highest Ability

Gennin Level

Choji

Ino, Sakura

Hinata

Kiba

Tenten

Chuunin Level

Kankuro, Temari, Shikamaru, Shino

Iruka

Mizuki

Lee

Naruto, Sasuke, Neji

Gaara

Jounin Level

Kurenai

Haku

Zabuka

Asuma

Kakashi, Gai

Kage Level

Akatsuki (excluding Pain and Madara)

Danzo

The Sannin

Kage

Pain/Nagato

Madara

ANBU to my understanding can be any level ranging from chuunin to jounin; the only difference is that they do covert missions instead of regular ones, and have the Hokage's trust.

Note on Itachi's Power Level: I believe that the only reason Itachi defeated Orochimaru (who is a Sannin) and Kakashi (who became a candidate for Hokage) so easily was because he had the element of surprise on his side in the form or Mangekyou. Mangekyou is also one of Itachi's best moves. Reading the chapter on Itachi's return again, it seems almost like Itachi was a little scared of Kakashi, and therefore right away used Mangekyou so as not to have a prolonged fight. The time that it takes to end a fight doesn't necessarily indicate how 'easy' or 'hard' the fight was. So with Mangekyou, Itachi is just below Pain and above a Kage, however without it Itachi is the same level as the rest of Akatsuki.

**Ninja Ranks in Konoha**

If about nine civilians are made genin every year, and the young and old average out to about 30 years of service for a ninja… that'd make about 270 ninjas in Konoha's force at all times. The promotions during war and the losses of the Kyuubi attack evens out, as do early deaths and long lives. Therefore, with the rate of promotion taken in account, Konoha's current force is…

135 genin

75 chuunin

40 jounin

35 ANBU

**Final Note**: If anyone finds any of this information disagreeable, or have someone to add whom I've missed, please inform me with an appropriate amount of reasoning of why someone should be placed somewhere. This is for the reader's reference, and I would like this to be as accurate as possible. Thank you.


	11. Arc 2: Team Seven

A/n: Arc 2 begins!

**Aniki**- older brother

**Onii/nii**- older brother

**Sama**- respected form of address

Chapter 1- The Beginning of Troubles

_15 August, year xxxx_

_We're finally going back to Konoha. _

_It's been a year since I've last set foot in that place, and it's been fun travelling around, but I'm also glad to be going back. I kind of miss that place. It's become like a second Resembool to me; somewhere where I can easily leave, but know that I'll always return. It's quaint at Konoha, but also very… surprising. With all the crazy jounins, one can never get bored there._

_Nonetheless, my travels have been fairly successful. I've learned what I set out to learn- that is, what the Mangekyou Sharingin is exactly. It seems that what Itachi had said is only partially true, and that in reality the special mode of sharingin can be caused by any feeling of great loss, not necessarily the killing of your best friend. I do not believe that Itachi would not have known of this, thus confirming my suspicions that the massacre was more than it seemed. I can't believe that stupid idiot didn't think that I'd see through this. But then again, I suppose he was only thirteen years old._

_I've told Sasuke my findings, and he has reached the same conclusion I have. Slowly, Sasuke is opening up again, forgetting the grief of the slaughter and moving on. The kid has grown. I've taught him quite a lot during our travels, and he takes to it like a moth to a flame. While I can't say he's of the same capacity as Itachi or I in natural understanding, he is still a considerable prodigy, and he makes up for any shortcomings in raw determination and hardwork. Travelling with him has been… a blessing, though he's put me through so much worry I think I'll wait a while before doing it again. Nevertheless, he's learned a lot, and I'm sure he's ahead of all his classmates in his academy work._

_I've also, learned many things during my travels. I think I've finally learned all the basics a basic chuunin should have, as well as mastered my chakra sensing abilities. I've tried to study medical books as well, but the variety is not great on the road, and I'm afraid I've reached a road block until I get back to Konoha. They have after all, one of the greatest libraries in the Elemental Countries._

_I've sent a messenger bird already to the Hokage, informing him of our return. I suppose Sasuke and I should get an apartment for ourselves, and I'll have to do some duties for the Hokage. Still, it isn't like I've been slacking off during my travels. I still take my position very seriously- I do! I've done plenty of research during my travels. Hm… I'd better get paid for this…_

_-from the travel log of Edward Elric_

* * *

The winds wafted through the town, hot and musky in their dance. The village stood before them, splendorous and bustling with activity. Trees dotted the plains, carefully interwoven in between all of the houses. A high mountain reined at the border, the four faces carved on its side overseeing the citizens of Konoha.

Edward sighed, finally turning his head away from the window. Letting out a short breath, Edward reached up an arm, and wiped the sweat from his brow. After just being in Water Country a week and a half ago, it was still hard adjusting to the humid weather of Konoha.

The Sandaime's eyes twinkled as he observed the blond from the other end of the desk, his image squeezed by the two towering piles of paper beside him, "How has this week been treating you, Edward?"

"Well enough," The blond haired boy replied, thinking back to the hectic week he had spent in Konoha. There was so much to do after just getting back, that Edward actually considered never travelling again, just to avoid the hassle.

"And Sasuke?"

Ah, there in lay the problem. Currently, Sasuke was back at their apartment complex, either training, or brooding. Edward's lips twisted slightly as he crossed one leg over the other, a gesture of impatience, "He's… more used to our travels, now. I think our plan has worked a little two well. Sasuke's been rather merry travelling, and Konoha doesn't exactly inspire happiness in him. Especially since, he's never had much to do with Konoha outside the Uchiha clan anyway. I don't think he's even made friends in the academy really, because he always either spent time with us or training. I wish I'd seen it then… I'd have done something about it…"

The Sandaime sighed, puffing on his pipe, "Edward, you weren't that old yourself. How can you expect to be able to make the best decisions regarding a child? Don't blame yourself for it. I'm sure Sasuke will adjust eventually. Now, did you discover the things I asked you to?"

Edward nodded, shifting in his pack until he found the appropriate leaflet of papers. Throwing them on the Hokage's desk, Edward couldn't help the slight grin that spread across his face. He had outdone himself on that one. He wasn't usually one to take pride in his work but… ah who was he kidding? If he did good, he did good!

The Sandaime picked up the papers, skimming through them with a raised brow. Smirking, the Hokage nodded at Edward, "Excellent, as expected. I'm glad to have my research jounin back. Alright, I'll let you get a bit more cozy before assigning you more work, since you've outdone yourself for this. For now, you are dismi…"

Suddenly, Edward stood, knocking his chair to the floor. Narrowing his eyes, the ninja glanced around, wondering what that could be. He had felt the foulest, evilest chakra ever, possibly even more damning than the father was. It was veiled heavily, but Edward's Alkehestry abilities had improved exponentially, and he was sure of his findings.

Just then, the door to the Hokage's office burst open, and Edward knew he had found the culprit. He acted immediately. As soon as the blue-eyed child stepped into the room, Edward was behind him, kunai poised to the devil's throat. The demon in child's guise froze, whole body going ridged.

"What are you doing?" The Hokage roared, giving Edward a look as if he'd never seen him before. The next second, Edward found himself knocked into a wall, ear ringing. The Sandaime was standing protectively in front of the child, a furious expression on his face. Edward hadn't even felt the attack until it was too late. But then, he supposed this was the power of a kage.

"Hokage-sama," Edward stood back up, coughing slightly as he tried to regain the wind that was knocked out of him, "You know my chakra sensing abilities. Trust me, though it's thinly veiled with that kid, there's definitely-"

"It's not him," The Hokage cut in, his expression of shock melting back into a calm, assured look. Edward narrowed his eyes; the Sandaime was definitely hiding something. The Hokage turned back to the orange-clad kid, putting reassuring hands on the wide-eyed child, "Sorry Naruto, Edward here just thought you were some enemy ninja that came in disguised. It's because you have such a large chakra supply, so my friend here mistakened you. Isn't that right, Edward?"

The glare the Hokage sent him dared the alchemist to disagree. Edward snorted; well fine, as long as the Hokage knew what it was… "Yeah, sorry."

"You'd better be!" The blue eyed child shouted arrogantly, having gotten over his shock, "You're talking to the future Hokage, believe it!"

Edward felt his eye twitch, but the warning glare that the Sandaime shot him shut the alchemist up.

"Now," The Hokage turned to the child, using the gentlest voice Edward had ever heard him use- even more tolerant than when the Sandaime used to address Hikari, "We're discussing something very important right now, which is partially the reason Edward here attacked you. If anyone else heard this information, it would be trouble. So, can you please visit me later?"

"Fine, fine," The blond muttered, giving a funny look to Edward, as if he didn't believe that the alchemist was capable enough to hear sensitive information. Edward cracked his knuckles, but before he could do anything, the Sandaime already hurried the boy out of the room.

The door closed with a decisive _clack_ behind him. The Sandaime sighed, slumming slightly as he made his way back to his desk, taking a seat and massaging his temples, "I'm getting too old for this…"

"So you've always complained," Edward said tersely, retaking his own seat and ignoring the pain in his back from when he had slammed into the wall, "Care to explain?"

The Sandaime narrowed his eyes, "Are you questioning me, Edward?"

"Are you feeling tired right now?" As much as Edward respected and cared for the Sandaime, he was never one for listening blindly to authority, "I have told you in the past about my chakra sensing abilities, and if you knew a reason pertaining as to why that boy felt so… _evil_… well, what would have happened if I had stumbled across him and you weren't there?"

The Sandaime's lips twisted, but then he sighed, the fight draining out of him. He slouched even more, looking far older than he ever had before, "I really am getting too old for this. Alright Edward, due to your… capabilities, I'll tell you something I had never intended to tell anyone. Now listen carefully, because this is what's considered an S-class secret…"

Edward listened wide-eyed as the Sandaime explained what had transpired on Konoha's most tragic night, and the truth of what the Yondaime had done. When the Sandaime was done, Edward couldn't help the low whistle that escaped him.

"And now," The Sandaime finished off, "Naruto is treated like trash by the adults, but I'm hoping that the new generation -the ones who don't know what he contains- will treat him better. And you Edward, what do you think of him?"

"I don't know much about sealing but…" If it's anything like alchemy, "If it's anything like the other ninja arts, it should be pretty sound. The Yondaime was a master at the art, was he not? Then, I trust his judgement. That kid didn't look evil. I'm glad I was wrong on this one…"

The Sandaime breathed out a sigh of relief, "Thank you Edward, you don't know how much this means to me. Will you…?"

"No." Edward answered before the Sandaime could request it. Looking at the Sandaime's shocked eyes, Edward couldn't help but squirm a little, but he already knew what his answer would be. There was no way to change that. "I won't look after him."

"But you said you didn't mind his burden…"

"And I don't," Edward affirmed, "But it's not just what he's carrying. I mean, I'm sure he's a great kid and all, but I'm already looking over Sasuke, and he's a handful. Besides, that kid seemed like a brat, and I don't do well with brats. It's not really what he is, it's _who_ he is."

"I… I see." The Hokage's eyes dimmed a little, making Edward feel even guiltier, "Well, if that is how you honestly feel, I suppose I can't change it. Alright Edward, you are dismissed."

With one last nod, Edward left the Hokage's office, making his way down the stairs of the tower. He pushed the feeling of guilt out his mind; after all, the kid had deserved it. The kid acted like a troublesome brat; his loud mouth and orange jumpsuit had attested to that. Besides, the special jounin was already swamped with trying to locate Itachi, learning medical jutsus, and taking care of Sasuke. Edward didn't need to have the added responsibility of looking after the child.

Still, fate didn't seem to ever want to give Edward what he wanted. It seemed that there was some truth to the saying of, whoever you're thinking of, you're bound to bump into them. Literally. Edward had no sooner than exited the Hokage Tower, when an orange blur slammed into him, almost causing the jounin to lose his balance. Edward staggered slightly, then glared down at the intruder of private space, "What do you want?"

"I've just thought about it!" The orange-clad boy said excitedly, bouncing on the balls of his feet, "You must be really strong right? I mean, I was kinda put off 'cause you don't look much older than me, but if you're already holding private audience with the Hokage, it must mean you're powerful! So tell me, how did you get so powerful? Tell me!"

"No," Edward brushed off the boy, walking determinedly towards his home. But, he was wrong if he thought Naruto would recognize the dismissal. The stupid idiot kept following him. Edward felt a tick develop as he whirled to face the brat, crossing his arms, "Look, I'm not telling you anything, now go away."

The orange wearing boy simply shook his head, "No way! How'd you get behind me so fast? You must be really strong… teach me something!"

"No."

"Please…? Please, please, please, please, please? Pretty please with an extra bowl of ramen?"

"No! What part of no don't you under-"

"Sir," A random villager that Edward had never seen walked up to him, glaring coldly at Naruto. "Is he bothering you?"

The hyperactive blond suddenly froze, although in a moment the tenseness was gone, replaced by what Edward now knew as false bravado. Oh yeah, Edward remembered the Sandaime telling him that many adults treated Naruto cruelly because of what he was, never giving the blue eyed boy a real chance. Well, it'd be nice to get the stupid kid off his back but… "Nah, we've just had a bit of a disagreement. Thanks for your concern, but it's not needed."

"Are you sure?" The villager asked suspiciously, and if looks could kill Naruto would have been dead thrice over, "This boy is…"

"Your. Concern. Is. Not. Needed."

The villager scoffed, turning his back and walking away, "Whatever you say. Don't come crying to me when you regret your choice."

Edward snorted; crying to that guy, really? He didn't even know who the person was! Feeling like he'd dealt with enough idiots already, Edward resumed his walk, determined to go back home and enjoy a nice, long shower. Perhaps he could even trick Sasuke into…

"Mi-mister!" Naruto's nasally voice dragged Edward back to reality, and it was he could do to keep in a sigh. Now, Naruto was looking at him with real hero worship in his eyes, infinitely worse than the demand that had been there earlier, "Why'd you defend me?"

"So you're being respectful now?" Edward sighed, "Look, it wasn't for you, that villager just had no right to barge in. Calling me 'sir' and all that, when I'm only fourteen… bah, it was obvious he wanted something."

Naruto's eyes dimmed a little, but then he brightened again, shaking his head ever so slightly with the saddest smile on his face. His voice was soft, but Edward's sensitive hearing picked it up nonetheless, "Ha… I should have known that it wasn't for me. But… but at least he doesn't look at me with those cold eyes…"

The voice was so sad, so forlorn, but yet also so optimistic. It was the voice of someone who was willing to move forward, against all odds, someone who didn't give up.

Edward told himself that what he was going to do next was purely for his own benefit. Yeah, right. "Ugh, it looks like you won't stop bugging me until I teach you something."

Naruto's ears perked up at Edward's statement, "Re-re-really?"

"Yeah," Edward grumbled, turning his heel and walking towards the training grounds, "Let's get this over with."

They went to the training ground Edward had frequented with Itachi when the Uchiha had first taught Edward the ninja arts. It was the perfect place for what Edward had in mind. Still, he didn't expect the place to garner such a reaction from him. When Edward saw the familiar dents and weaponry littering the training grounds, he felt his throat close up. He hadn't visited this place since _that day_, and now, seeing such a familiar sight of comradeship between him and his best friend after the knowledge of what Itachi had done…

Edward shook his head, clearing the thoughts. He took a deep breath; he was one for moving forward, and not looking back, wasn't he? He shouldn't be dwelling on the past. Still, he found it rather hard to concentrate as he explained to Naruto how to throw kunai, his mind constantly flashing back to the lessons Itachi had given him in the exact same place. Maybe being here wasn't so good for him.

Then again, it wasn't as if Itachi had really betrayed him, and perhaps Itachi would be back in a few years. Why was Edward reacting so violently? Yeah, it wasn't a big deal; Itachi would be back. Edward couldn't keep seeing demons wherever he went. It wouldn't be good for him, or Sasuke. Finally calming down, Edward was able to properly teach the other blond how to throw.

Now if only the other blond could properly learn.

After about what Edward could swear was the thousandth time, Edward gave up. Naruto had hardly hit any of the boards let alone the bullseyes on any of the targets, despite the numerous times Edward had corrected him. The boy was hopeless! Here was the reason Edward originally didn't want to teach him; the blue eyed kid was an idiot! Edward could aim a simple bullseye within three tries after the first explanation, Sasuke twenty. This kid…? Heck, it was nearing dark!

Edward growled, crossing his arms as he glared at the kid, "Alright, I'm done teaching you."

"But-but-!" Naruto protested, "I almost had it that time! Just give me one more chance! I'll do it, I promise!"

As if to show him, the blue eyed boy threw again, but missed the target. Edward's lips twisted; he had had enough. Turning away, Edward started his long trek back to his apartment, "Don't make promises you can't keep."

"You- you- you'll see!" Naruto's high voice carried out behind him, "I always keep my promises! I'll do it, even if it kills me!"

Edward snorted; huh, kids were sure dramatic. Body flickering back to his apartment, he dug out the keys and opened the door. Sasuke was curled up on a couch, sound asleep. Edward felt his eyes soften from his tiring day; Sasuke had obviously stayed up waiting for him, but evidently his eight year old body couldn't handle the stress of staying up so late. Smiling softly, Edward walked into the Uchiha's rooms and took out a blanket, walking back to the living room and spreading it across his little charge's body.

Sasuke's eyes flickered open, and he looked at Edward groggily, "An… Aniki?"

"Sh," Edward hushed, patting Sasuke's head, "Sorry I'm so late. Now, go back to sleep."

A small smile spreading across his face, Sasuke closed his eyes again, snuggling deeper into the couch. Finally fully obeying his body's orders, the little Uchiha drifted off into the realm of oblivion. Edward watched the kid sleep for a little while longer, before he decided that he was also pretty tired. Walking into his rooms, and making sure the door was open in case Sasuke had any nightmares, Edward too, drifted off peacefully.

He awoke earlier than he had intended to, though. Somehow, he had a funny feeling about… Nah, it couldn't be possible could it? But still, that kid just might be crazy enough to… Well, it wouldn't take more than ten minutes to check. Getting up, Edward quickly dressed himself, and checking that Sasuke was still asleep, the yellow haired ninja quietly left the apartment. With a quick body flicker, Edward found himself once again at the training grounds, golden eyes widening at the sight that greeted him. No way…

"Hey," Naruto greeted, looking dead tired but satisfied as he gestured towards the targets, all with dozens of kunai stuck deep within the bullseye, "Told ya I'd do it, didn't I?"

* * *

He wished they had never came back to Konoha.

Sasuke didn't know what Aniki wanted by coming back here, but Sasuke was sure they could have found it in their travels. They found a lot of things on the road, after all. It wasn't exactly, that Sasuke liked to constantly move around, but at least then he kinda knew where Aniki was all the time. At Konoha, Sasuke still remembered the times when Itachi nii-san and Aniki would get sent on week long missions; Sasuke didn't want that to happen again.

Plus, there was this boring academy Sasuke was forced to go to. He'd only been here two weeks, and he already hated it. Fangirls were falling over themselves trying to get him to notice them, but they didn't realize that he had already noticed them. Just not in a good way. Seriously, if they spent half the time studying their ninja arts as they did trying to get his attention, Sasuke would swear that they would be better than he was.

And he was the best. Aniki had taught him everything in the first academy curriculum, and then some. Apparently, that 'then some' really gave Sasuke the edge in the academy. Yes, Sasuke had to still pay attention in history or whatnot, but when it came to practical and theory, Sasuke was bored beyond belief. At those times, he was sorely tempted to sleep like Nara.

Right now, they were each taking turns on throwing kunai at a ringed target, with their instructor giving pointers after each person threw ten. Sasuke knew that he could pass this exercise with his eyes closed and one hand tied behind his back (because Aniki made him do that once); it would be all too easy to ace this thing. What he didn't expect, was for the village pariah to do it.

"Oh yeah!" Uzumaki pumped his fists into the air, beaming at the ten kunai that were stuck in the center of the target, "I rock! What do ya think of this, Sakura-chan?"

Everybody's mouth dropped open. Sasuke's mind was working furiously. While he usually didn't listen to rumours, the ones about Uzumaki were hard to ignore. The blond was apparently a loud and annoying prankster who had no talent yet wanted to be a ninja. Surprisingly though, ever since Sasuke had gotten here, he had not seen Uzumaki pull a single prank.

"You- you cheated!" A pink haired girl finally stammered, pointing an accusing finger at Uzumaki. "There's no way you could have- could have-"

Uzumaki's face darkened for an instant, before it brightened again, "Yeah well, I got a really awesome teacher! He's really important you know, and really really powerful!"

"Oh really?" This time, it was Inuzu. He had his arms crossed, a scowl on his lips, probably at the fact that the blond had showed him up, "Then who is he? Is he's important, we should know him right?"

"Well… he's a prodigy, and he discusses really secret stuff with the Hokage, so you might not know him."

"Just spit it out already, Naruto!" The pink girl finally screeched, "What's his name?"

Uzumaki smiled goofily, "For you Sakura-chan… my super awesome instructor's name is Edward Elric!"

_Thud_.

"Ack! What was that for you bastard!"

_Thud_. _Thud_._ Thud_. _Thud_._ Thud_. _Thud_._ Thud_. _Thud_. _Thud_.

Uzumaki was pinned up against the target board, forced back with Sasuke's kunai. The blond struggled to move, but couldn't. After all, Sasuke had planned it that way. Upper arm, forearm, thighs, biceps, neck… Sasuke's ten kunai were all strategically placed so Uzumaki could not move an inch, and imbedded deeply enough that Uzumaki could not just yank himself out. But Sasuke wasn't satisfied.

Face like thunder, Sasuke took a menancing step towards Uzumaki, "What do you know about Aniki?"

"Eh? What?" Uzumaki's furious look melted into confusion, "Edward nii-san's your brother? But-"

Sasuke slammed his fist beside the space on Uzumaki's head, making a very small crack; it was a warning, a threat, and even the stupid Uzumaki had to acknowledge that. Sasuke could very easily break Uzumaki's skull right now. "Don't you dare call him 'nii-san'."

"Why not?" Uzumaki narrowed his eyes, looking not in the least bit intimidated, "He certainly doesn't look like _your_ brother. Blond hair, gold eyes; hey, where's the connection in that?"

"Are you an idiot Naruto!" Sasuke distantly recognized the pink haired girl's voice, "That's the last Uchi-"

Sasuke's glare shut her up. Turning back to Uzumaki, Sasuke crossed his arms, keeping his voice low, "Yeah, he's not my blood brother, but he was my brother's best friend. Aniki's been over at our place so many times that it might as well be like we're brothers. Besides, we've just spent the past year travelling _together_."

"Well I don't care what you did! Edward nii-san's been the only one who's acknowledged me other than the old man, so I can call him 'nii-san' if I want!"

"Why you…" Sasuke pulled his fist back, only for a hand to clamp around his arm, stopping him from attacking. Sasuke blinked, and turned a glare at the intruder. It was the brown haired chuunin instructor with the scar across his nose, who was teaching them how to throw kunai earlier. Sasuke huffed, and dropped his fist.

The chuunin tiredly rubbed his nose with one hand, and slowly started removing the kunai from Uzumaki's clothes with the other. Sasuke was deeply satisfied to see the deep holes made by his kunai; they would have to get a new target board. The chuunin sighed, "I should have stopped this sooner."

Come to think of it, why hadn't he? If Sasuke were the instructor, he would have stopped it at the first kunai that had been thrown at Uzumaki. It was… weird. Even weirder, Uzumaki seemed used to this treatment, if the resigned look on his face was anything to go by. It was… different from the outraged, defiant expression the blond had worn just seconds before. Was it normal for pranksters to be treated like this?

And… and if what Uzumaki said was true, about Aniki training him… well, Sasuke certainly did believe it was true if Uzumaki really did suck at ninja arts. After all, Sasuke was sure Aniki could train a civilian to be an exceptional assassin overnight. Besides, how else would Uzumaki know about the name 'Edward Elric'?

He'd have to ask Aniki.

"Sasuke! Sasuke Uchiha! Come back immediately!"

Sasuke ignored the chuunin instructor, whom he now deemed as incompetent, and continued running towards the place he knew his Aniki would be. After all, it wasn't like they could really stop him. Coming to school was a choice, and the only reason Sasuke came anyway was because Aniki made him. Sasuke was sure he could easily learn this stuff at home, but Aniki said that an instructor was something that couldn't be replaced. Oh, and that Aniki didn't want to buy all those history textbooks.

However, it seemed that the chuunin didn't feel that way. Sasuke stopped his flight, turning around to tell the chuunin that he really shouldn't be leaving his students, when he registered exactly _who_ it was that was following him.

Uzumaki stood there panting, hands on his knees, "Where are you going?"

"To the library," Sasuke smirked superiorly, starting to run again. Ha, Uzumaki didn't know such a simple thing about his Aniki! "Because Aniki's _always_ at the library!"

"No he ain't! He goes to the Hokage Tower too!"

"Well then, why are you following me?"

"'Cause you don't seem reasonable, and you need to be there when Edward nii-san explains things. So if we visit this library of yours first, then I won't have to drag your sorry ass to the Hokage Tower."

"Tch, whatever." Hold on a moment, did Uzumaki's statement actually make any sense? Sasuke didn't have time to dwell on it though, because at that instant they had made it to their destination, and all other thoughts fled Sasuke's head. Glaring at eachother, the two nine year olds raced up the steps of the ancient building, and pushed open the wide doors. Without wasting a second, the two were off, each trying to find the one they dubbed 'brother' first.

Sasuke found him standing by a bookshelf, nose buried in some theory book about medicine. Figures. There was only one way to get his Aniki's attention when the braided boy was reading. Sasuke stood on tiptoes, and snatched the book from Aniki's fingers. Aniki blinked, then glared down at him, "Hey! I was just getting to the- huh? Aren't you supposed to be in school?"

Sasuke threw the book on a nearby table, and crossed his arms, "Aniki, what is the meaning of Naruto Uzumaki?"

"Wha-"

"I FOUND YOU!" The orange wearing academy student burst out from behind a bookshelf, pointing triumphantly at Aniki, "Ha! I told that Sasuke bastard I'd find- what? What are you doing here Sasuke-bastard?"

"Quiet!" Some random Liberian hissed, making Sasuke roll his eyes and Uzumaki shoot an apologetic glance at the lady.

Aniki sighed, then slowly started walking out the door, "Well, since I don't want to get banned from this library, let's go talk somewhere else. Where would you like to eat, Sasuke? It's nearly lunch time, right?"

Sasuke shot a superior glance at Uzumaki, who fumed with every step; ha, Aniki had asked Sasuke to choose. Sasuke thought about it for a moment. It really didn't matter where they ate, as long as it was some high class restaurant. Sasuke had found that in their travels, Aniki was surprisingly very classy about his choices. Finally, Sasuke decided on a place he had heard girls discussing they would like to take him, "I'd like to eat at Tentou."

Aniki groaned lightly, but Sasuke could tell it was jokingly, "You're trying to empty my wallet, aren't you? I swear that's the most expensive restaurant in Konoha. Fine, fine, let's go there…"

Uzumaki suddenly tensed, "Restaurant…? I don't- I don't think I can afford-"

Aniki glanced back uncaringly, continuing on his walk down the streets, "I'm a ninja. Do you really think I'd let a kid pay?"

"Bu-but- it's expensive…"

Hn, Uzumaki simply didn't understand. Aniki _thrived_ on wealth. Nothing about their travels was ever poor quality, and from rooms to meals, everything was the highest class anyone could get. In return, Aniki would fix something for the owners, or make something unbelievable. Aniki said it was part of his bloodline limit, but Sasuke still thought it was incredible. Still, the point was that they had never lived in poverty, and Aniki fit into the rich society like a well worn shoe. Uzumaki could never hope to understand Aniki's character.

This time, Aniki ignored Uzumaki's question as it were irrelevant, and the rest of the walk went in silence. Uzumaki seemed thoughtful, Aniki's slow steps indicated he was thoughtful, and Sasuke knew that he himself was thoughtful. So… Uzumaki really did know Aniki after all, but obviously Aniki didn't share the same sentiments as Uzumaki. Uzumaki had obviously blown Aniki's relationship with him out of proportion, and Sasuke had been an idiot acting on that. Sasuke should have known.

Finally, they made it to the restaurant. An usher greeted them, opening the door for them as they walked in. Well, he opened the door for Aniki and Sasuke, anyway. Sasuke noticed that the usher seemed to forget that there was one more person, and accidently closed the door a bit too soon. Aniki's foot flashed out, just barely stopped the door from slamming into Uzumaki's face.

Aniki smiled at the usher as Uzumaki scurried in, but it was a dangerous smile, "Oh dear, it looks like you forgot you had three guests. Careful about that next time, or you might get fired. After all, if you forget a third of the company each time, you'll lose this restaurant a lot of money."

"Ah sir, you don't know, because you might be two young to realize but…" The usher bowed, glaring at Uzumaki, "That boy is a troublemaker. He's probably keeping more from you than you can realize. Are you sure you want him to accompany you?"

Aniki fixed his belt slightly, catching the light on his leaf headband, "I'm sure I can take care of myself. Now, will you take care of the seats like you're supposed to, or shall we stand here wasting some more time?"

Well, Aniki wasn't exactly subtle, and wasn't exactly great at making allies, but he got his point across. Hesitantly, the usher glanced at Sasuke, then Uzumaki, then Sasuke again, before with slightly thinned lips, he led them to an extravagant window seat, with room enough for four people. It had to be one of the best seats in the house. Bowing, the usher left, a scowl almost visible on his lips.

Sasuke frowned slightly; that was odd. Usually, high end restaurant workers could hide their expressions extremely well, and even if they didn't like Uzumaki, they should have been able to pretend that they did. Restaurants didn't become popular by alienating customers, after all. Oh well. Now, came the problem of seating.

Sasuke slid into the right side, and Uzumaki slid into the left. Then, they both stared at Edward, daring him to choose. Since this was a four seater, Aniki would have to choose to sit beside one of them, and leave the other one by themselves.

Aniki's eyes twitched, and he moved in beside Sasuke. Sasuke could have cooed in victory- that is, until he felt himself being lifted up. Wide eyed, Sasuke could only gape as Aniki walked back out of the arrangement, and plopped Sasuke back down right beside Uzumaki. That done, Aniki went back to the right side, and lay on the seat like a couch, so that he took up both spaces.

Aniki picked up a menu, blatantly ignoring the open mouths Sasuke and Uzumaki both sported. After a second though, Sasuke realized exactly how un-Uchiha-like it was for him to gape, and quickly snapped his mouth shut. Glaring at Uzumaki -who simply returned the glare-, Sasuke picked up another menu and started skimming through it.

"What would you like, Sasuke?"

Sasuke shrugged, tossing the menu back in its place as he grinned at Aniki, "You choose. It's always entertaining to watch waiters wet themselves trying to place your orders."

Aniki grinned back, then turned to Uzumaki, "And Naruto?"

Sasuke felt his mouth sour a bit at the familiar use of first name, but he supposed he'd have to contend with that. Uzumaki shifted slightly, waving the menu in his hands helplessly, "What the heck are all of these? I've never even heard of these foods in all my life!"

"Then I guess I'll order for you," Aniki rolled his eyes, and Sasuke secretly gloated. Ha, Uzumaki had just dug his own grave! The braided boy waved a waiter over, and put down his menu, "I'd like… four dry fruit, four fresh fruit, two salted sweetened ones, four preserved fruit in honey for the appetizer. The four dry fruit are lichis, longans, jujubes to the steamed and gingkos. For the expenses, you will choose seasonal fruits. For the salted sweetened, perfumed cherries and plums to the filaments of ginger. As for the preserved fruit in honey, you will bring perfumed orangettes to the rose, preserved grapes, fishing lamelles to sugar freezes, and pear slices. Then, for main meals I'd like steamed pheasant, fried ducks feet, a soup of chicken tongues, deer stomach to rice wine, beef ribs with chives, rabbit in filament to the chrysanthemum, thigh of wild boar stir-fried, pork feet in ginger vinegar."

The waiter was scribbling madly, wide-eyed, "Um… could you- could you please repeat that last part again?"

Aniki sighed dramatically, and repeated the order again. Finally, the waiter left, extremely apologetic and respectful. Sasuke secretly laughed; Aniki had once confided in Sasuke that Aniki knew that it would make the orders go faster if he just ordered more slowly, but it was way more fun to make the waiters hesitant. In really high class restaurants though, the waiters didn't even blink at Aniki's orders, no matter how ridiculous some of them seemed. It looked like Tentou wasn't the best restaurant in Konoha after all.

"That-that-" Uzumaki pointed an accusing finger at Aniki, "What the heck was that? Perfumed cherries and plums to the filaments of ginger? Did you just make that up?"

Sasuke rolled his eyes, "Idiot, of course those are 'real' orders, or else we wouldn't be able to eat them. If you knew your foods well, you'd know what they were."

"Well not all of us are born with a silver spoon inside our mouths."

"Please, the Uchiha did not use silver. We used obsidian, to represent-"

"Urg, you're completely missing my point!"

"Which would be?"

"Why you stuck up little-"

"Um," The waiter coughed, regaining the two nine year olds' attention. Well, that, and the appetizing smell of steaming dishes that even Sasuke couldn't deny. "Your food is here."

They spent the next few minutes just eating, relishing and sampling each one of the dishes. It was good. Maybe the waiter wasn't up to par, but the food really made up for it. There were only a few restaurants that Sasuke had been in that had food this good.

When they were halfway through the meal, Aniki finally broached the question, "So, why did you two come looking for me? Other than getting a free meal, that is."

Sasuke wiped his mouth with a napkin, "Uzumaki says that you've been training him, Aniki. I can see now that it's true. I was just wondering why I was never informed."

"Oh that, I was planning on telling you soon. I just wanted to make sure first, if Naruto was up to par."

"What?" Uzumaki spluttered, bits of food flying out of his mouth. Sasuke wrinkled his nose in disgust; great, an idiot and a revolting freak.

Aniki shrugged, smiling at the other blond, "Well, you pass. I'll train you at the same time I train Sasuke. You have enough potential for me to give up my time, but let me warn you that if you can't meet my standards, you'll have to find another tutor. I have very little patience, and the moment you fail to meet my expectations, you're out."

Uzumaki blinked, then nodded resolutely, saluting, "Yes sir! I won't disappoint you Edward nii-san! It'll be my first step to becoming Hokage!"

Sasuke rolled his eyes; Hokage, ha. Uzumaki wouldn't survive Aniki's gruelling training. The orange clad boy would not stand a chance. Sasuke had been an idiot to worry at all. But then… but then Sasuke remembered the kunai practice they had that morning, and the ten bullseyes that Uzumaki had hit.

Aniki couldn't have been seeing Uzumaki for over a week, and after academy hours Aniki had mostly been home. So… so the total training hours that Aniki saw Uzumaki for were actually very small. To get that good at kunai throwing in a week… While it was true that Sasuke had gotten the technique in considerably less time, now all of the sudden Uzumaki didn't seem so harmless anymore.

Sasuke's eyes hardened; well then, he'd just have to train harder. He would show Aniki that Uzumaki was nothing more than a pet project, and not something to be proud of at all. He would beat Uzumaki in every exercise, and never let the orange clad boy get even a sliver of limelight. Sasuke would never let someone take his place.

He saw Aniki smirk, but for once he couldn't tell what it meant.

* * *

A/n: Please note that Sasuke and Naruto are nine, and therefore rather possessive of things, even if it's an older brother. I thought it was kinda cute. By the way, I don't know if you caught the subtle preferences (like asking Sasuke where he wanted to eat, picking Sasuke up in public and not Naruto, ect), but as of now Edward really does like Sasuke more than Naruto.

Why'd they got to a restaurant? Simple; Edward knows his physiological warfare. When a person is eating, they are more amiable (it's a tested fact). And yes, the usher gave them the best seat because he recognized Sasuke as 'the last Uchiha'.


	12. II

Onii-san/Nii-san- elder brother

Aniki- variation of 'elder brother'

Chapter 2- A Promise to be Kept

Sasuke was supposed to be concentrating on his chakra, and trying to make it into the shape of a circle, but he couldn't. The blond idiot sitting next to him on the other hand, seemed to have no trouble concentrating, but was having a lot of trouble actually _getting_ the exercise done. Sasuke knew that if he put in just the slightest bit of effort, he could easily outclass his orange-clad competitor, but right now Sasuke had other things on his mind.

Sitting in front of him was their instructor, and though this instructor hardly paid any attention to the two boys when they were practising, Sasuke knew his teacher well enough to know when the ninja's attention was completely elsewhere. Usually, their instructor would read a book, or practice some of his own chakra exercises, but all he was doing today was staring off into space, looking conflicted.

Sasuke decided he didn't like conflicted. It reminded him too much of… his other brother. Sasuke scooted closer to his instructor, deciding to give up pretending to do the exercise all together. Besides, Sasuke was worried. "Aniki… what's the matter?"

Edward jerked slightly, giving Sasuke a look of surprise, "Huh? Oh I…"

"Yes?" Sasuke prompted. He didn't exactly like asking things that made others uncomfortable, but Sasuke knew that sometimes it had to be done. Especially with a brother like his.

"The thing is…" Edward sighed, then flung a rock in Uzumaki's direction, which hit the idiot blond plonk on the center of his forehead.

Uzumaki eyes shot open, and immediately his eyes swivelled to Sasuke, "Hey! You bastard! I was just about to get it too…!"

Hn, just like that idiot. Making accusations without any proof. Sasuke didn't care actually, that Uzumaki thought it was him, but it really made Sasuke mad that Aniki gave the idiot any thought. Uzumaki clearly didn't deserve it.

"That was me," Edward admitted sheepishly, ignoring the muted death glare that Uzumaki sent him, "I just wanted your attention. Look Sasuke, Naruto, the Hokage made me an offer… You know how I'm studying to be a medic nin? Well, I've learned all I can, but the Hokage doesn't think it's enough. If he thinks I can learn more… He proposed a long term training mission from me, because a student of his was really talented at medicine. He thinks I can learn a lot from her… Tsunade Senju…"

Tsunade Senju? Sasuke felt his eyes widen; he had heard of that name before! If not from his clan, then from his year long travel with Aniki. That name was famous; as famous as the medical acts the Slug Princess performed herself. If Aniki could get training from one of the Three Legendary Ninja, then it was truly an opportunity not to be missed, especially since Aniki was so obsessed with healing.

Sasuke allowed a small smile to spread across his face, "This is great! When do we leave?"

Suddenly, Edward tensed, and that's when Sasuke knew he wouldn't like the answer, "Well you see, Tsunade Senju is… tricky. Her skills are even trickier. If I do go find her for my apprenticeship, I won't be able to take you two. So… do you two still want me to go?"

…ah. _Ah_. So that was why Aniki had been so edgy this morning. It was fairly obvious now, if Sasuke thought about it. It made perfect sense that Aniki didn't want to tell them, was wary of informing them. Slowly, Sasuke felt a terrible, dreadful anger bubble up inside him. No, no, no! He didn't want Aniki to leave! Not like Itachi nii-san had done! Sasuke wouldn't be able to live with it, if his only remaining family left him now! His fists clenched until his fingers turned a pristine white; no, Aniki could not leave. Sasuke would tell him so.

"Oh," Uzumaki's voice broke Sasuke from his thoughts, and the dark haired Uchiha couldn't help but twist his head to look at the idiot blond. The voice sounded so… depressed; it wasn't like his normally exuberant and annoying opponent at all. Then, slowly, painfully, Uzumaki cracked a little smile, "Well okay Edward nii-san. Just be back soon. I know how important this is to you."

_How important it is_… Sasuke hadn't even thought of that. And he should have. What was the main thing Aniki had been studying while they were travelling? Sure, Aniki had practiced and learned other skills too, but the main thing was always medical jutsu. Medical jutsu. As far back as Sasuke could remember, Aniki had always been obsessed with it. Or, maybe not always.

Sasuke still distinctly remembered a period that Aniki hadn't been able to think of anything but healing, but Itachi nii-san had calmed the blond at the time. Sasuke wasn't quite sure what had caused it, but he had his suspicions. The talks of 'Hikari' between his two brothers, and the fuzzy face accompanied by the delicious smell of food that sometimes appeared in Sasuke's dreams, told Sasuke more than he needed. Aniki… perhaps _needed_ to be the best at physical healing.

Did Sasuke really want to take that away from him? This was the perfect chance for Aniki, and Sasuke wasn't sure if Aniki could quite get another one like this. Also, Sasuke wondered if Aniki would regret not taking the opportunity, though he knew that Aniki's motto was to move forward no matter what. Still, Aniki was only human right, and he could falter. If Aniki didn't take this chance, would Aniki always regret it? Would Sasuke make him regret it?

Sasuke knew that Aniki wouldn't leave if Sasuke didn't want him to; Aniki was that type of person. The year they had spent travelling showed Sasuke exactly how protective Aniki was, and Sasuke liked that immensely. Did Sasuke want to give up that warmth, that feeling of comfort, the protection he knew he could get whenever he awoke screaming from a nightmare? Sasuke didn't know…

He didn't want Aniki to leave, that much was for certain. His throat closed up at the very thought of his older brother leaving, leaving him on his own. Like Itachi had done. He couldn't. Sasuke _couldn't_ give Edward up. He opened his mouth to say so… and then registered the pained expression the older blond bore. Aniki was troubled about this; very troubled. Aniki didn't want to leave them anymore than Sasuke did, and Sasuke could tell in that instant that Aniki was unsure about the Tsunade-apprenticeship. And it wasn't because he didn't want to get an apprenticeship.

Aniki was unsure because he didn't want to leave Sasuke and Naruto alone. Sasuke closed his mouth again. Aniki… was only debating whether to go or not because of them. If Aniki didn't have them, there was no doubt in Sasuke's mind that Aniki would leave faster than Uzumaki after ramen. So, so Aniki would stay in Konoha… only because of them.

How much did Aniki do for them exactly? Too much, if Sasuke thought about it. Ever since that first meeting, when Sasuke had practically demanded Aniki to teach him how to throw kunai, Aniki had been sacrificing and sacrificing. Sasuke hadn't seen it then, but he saw it now, saw it after he had spent so much time with the older blond and learned of his personalities. The missions Aniki had taken so Sasuke could spend more time with Itachi nii-san, the events that Aniki would organize for the three of them even though the blond hated organizing…

Sasuke squeezed his eyes shut, then opened them again, meeting the full curious and tense gazes of the two blonds. The dark haired Uchiha took a deep breath, then slowly unclenched his fists. Aniki had given too much for him, and Sasuke wouldn't let him give anything more, "I think I'll miss you a lot, and being around this idiot will melt my brains, so you'd better learn quick and come back even quicker!"

Edward blinked, then a small, pleased smile spread across his face, though his eyes were understanding, "Of course. Do you think I could learn slowly?"

* * *

Sasuke Uchiha glared at his new housemate furiously, and stalked to the end of the hall. Dramatically, the dark haired boy banged the door open, revealing gaudy orange walls and a small, twin sized bed. "This is your room. That one is mine. Don't go in there. Ever."

Naruto rolled his eyes at the Uchiha's theatrics, but nonetheless walked into the room, throwing his bag beside a bedpost. Looking over his shoulder, Naruto made a face at the Uchiha, and was rewarded with an equal look of distaste. Ugh, that Uchiha needed to get some manners! Seriously, if it weren't for the fact that it was Edward nii-san who asked Naruto to live here, or the fact that Naruto's apartment quite frankly sucked, the blue eyed nine year old would have never agreed to this!

Though… though his room was rather nice. Looking around, Naruto couldn't help the slightly awed, slightly excited grin that spread across his face. Edward nii-san was the best! The room was painted in bright orange, just as Naruto would have liked it. Shelves of books hid the walls, and toys were littered everywhere. Naruto's heart skipped a beat; he had never had so many things before!

"Wow…" Wide eyed, Naruto started going around his room, running his hands across everything to make sure they were there.

"Che, what an idiot." Uchiha's retreating footsteps signalled his leave, but Naruto didn't care. Liek Naruto said, it certainly wasn't for _Uchiha_ that Naruto was staying here.

Edward nii-san had asked Naruto to live in his place while he left, leaving Naruto no real choice but to agree. But hey, he sure as heck wasn't regretting it. This place was N I C E! It had stuff his old place never had.

Naruto jumped onto his bed, splaying himself across the luxurious sheets and giving a happy sigh. He closed his eyes, running his fingertips along the silk covers. Naruto had always given himself credit for not wanting the most expensive things, but now he finally understood why some people might. Sure, he could live without, but hey, if it was provided for him, why not enjoy it? He had so precious few things to enjoy in life.

It was really ni...

Naruto awoke to a scream. He jumped out of bed, looking frantically for the source. It came from... the other room? Warily, Naruto slipped to the floor, tiptoeing towards the direction of the scream. He came face to face with a closed door. Uchiha's door.

Uchiha had told him not to go in there no matter what the cost but hey, it sounded as if Uchiha was dying in there! What if Uchiha was getting assassinated and Naruto could have stopped it? Edward nii-san would never forgive him!

Naruto kicked the door open, dropping into a fighting stance, ready to face the intruder and kick his-

The sight that greeted the blond froze him.

Sasuke was twisting in his bed, his face beaded with sweat. His expression was twisted in utter agony, his voice dry with torture. "Mother… father… no… STOP! So much blood… so much blood…"

Naruto felt his throat close. This was... this was...

He had always thought of the Uchiha as an arrogant jerk, but he had never wanted to see Sasuke like this. He didn't want to see anyone like this. What had happened?

Sasuke mentioned a father. A mother. Yet Sasuke was not with them right now, he was with Edward nii-san. Sasuke had also mentioned blood.

Even Naruto could connect the dots.

"Nii-san, nii-san, why? ANIKI!"

This was too much to bear. Naruto walked up to the dark haired boy's bed, and kicked it hard.

Sasuke jerked awake, eyes flying open. He sat up, tear tracks glistening on his face. Swallowing once, twice, Sasuke took a deep, shuttering breath. Then, he seemed to notice Naruto.

Black eyes narrowed in a glare, but somehow there was no bite in them now, "What are you doing here?"

Even the voice sounded cracked. There was nothing menacing about Sasuke Uchiha right now, absolutely nothing.

Sasuke looked so... sad. So forlorn. Naruto had remembered waking up some nights and feeling that way, but there was something added to Sasuke's expression that Naruto knew he had never felt before. Loss. Such a big amount of it.

But slowly, perhaps, Naruto was starting to understand. He'd only known Edward nii-san for three months, but he already couldn't imagine life without him. Naruto had been able to put off the feeling of loss in the daytime, distracting himself with the new wonderful things. But now it was starting to creep up on him, in the light of Sasuke's nightmare and the silence. And Naruto had only known Edward nii-san for three months.

How did Sasuke feel? He'd known Edward nii-san for much longer, as much as Naruto hated to admit it normally. And Sasuke had known his parents too, only for them to be taken away from him. What the black haired boy must be feeling Naruto couldn't imagine.

But he did know he wanted to make Sasuke feel better.

The question was how? Sasuke didn't seem to like anything, and Naruto was no good at comforting. So how could Naruto make Sasuke just forget about the bad things and-

Ah. Oh yes, Naruto was a genius.

"Well?" Sasuke demanded, his voice gaining something of its normal tone.

Naruto grinned winningly, pretending not to see the glint of tears on the Uchiha's face, "I just realized; you're my new roommate, and I'm Naruto Uzumaki. To celebrate the fact that you get to share in my awesomeness, we have to do a prank!"

* * *

He couldn't believe it.

He, Sasuke Uchiha, the last heir to the prominent and dignified Uchiha clan, was doing a prank.

He had no idea how the blond had coerced Sasuke into it, but he suspected that it was due to his sleepiness and inability to understand _what_ exactly his roommate was suggesting. Sasuke refused to think that it might be because he needed a distraction from his vivid nightmares.

Anyhow, the prank. It wasn't as if it was a bad idea, really, and the way that Uzumaki went about setting it up was almost ingenious, as much as Sasuke hated to admit it. But then he supposed, Aniki had to have seen _something_ in the blond. So... admitting Uzumaki's ingenuity should be okay, right?

They had done it in the dead of the night, snuck in when nobody was here and scaled the walls. It was easy with the tree climbing exercise that Aniki had taught them. Getting in was not so easy. There were various locks and seals, traps set to alert everyone if anyone decided to try their hand at stealing from the government funded building.

But Uzumaki had been prepared, and Sasuke secretly wondered if the blond broke into the Academy all the time. Well no, Sasuke had actually sneered the question, and Uzumaki had simply answered positively with a grin. It was actually a little disquieting. He had always thought that only idiots did pranks, but with the amount of effort that Uzumaki put into them Sasuke couldn't help but wonder if Kiba was actually some sort of genius too.

"We're here," Uzumaki whispered, sniggering, and breaking Sasuke out of his thoughts.

And so they were.

In front of them was the door to their first class, to which they had arrived fifteen minutes late. If they broke in right now, no doubt the instructor would be mad at them, Uchiha heir or not. But then, it wasn't as if Sasuke cared what The Academy instructor thought. Personally he thought he could graduate without The Academy, but Aniki had insisted that Sasuke attend, and Sasuke felt that he'd owed it to Aniki to do what the older blond wanted.

Aniki.

Sasuke felt a pang in his heart, and forcibly pushed it down. It was almost pathetic how much he was missing Aniki right now, wishing that Aniki had never gone for the apprenticeship. But no, he had to be happy for him, be glad Aniki was doing what he wanted. Sasuke swallowed, and shoved the feeling of loneliness away, turning his attention back to the door.

"Let's get this over with," Sasuke said dryly, gently applying pressure to the door until it quietly swung open.

"Yatta!" Uzumaki burst into the classroom, fists in the air and a bright grin on his face. The teacher looked up sharply, his eyes leaving the papers on his desk and resting on the blue eyed boy. "The Amazing Naruto Uzumaki is here!"

Sasuke had to force himself not to hang his head and mumble that he didn't know this weirdo. Instead, he strolled in, looking as if he had every right to be late.

"Uzumaki!" The instructor said sharply, "What is your excuse for being late? And why did you drag Uchiha-san down with you?"

"No reason," Uzumaki stuck out his tongue, "And I didn't drag the bastard down, it was totally him who made us so late!"

"Very well," The Academy instructor said stiffly, "I will talk to you two after school. As of now, you're disrupting my class. Sit down."

"Hm..." Uzumaki tapped a finger against his chin, as if he were in deep contemplation. Then- "Don't wanna."

"What?" The Academy instructor was turning an interesting shade of red.

Uzumaki shrugged, then turned as if to run away, "Don't want to sit down. Can't make me."

"We'll see about that!" The teacher shot after the blond- only to pause halfway.

The whole room gasped as one, then broke into laughter collectively. Half bent to catch Uzumaki, and bum sticking out, the teacher just made the scene too funny. Sasuke smirked. The chair the instructor had been sitting on was superglued to his bum, and when Uzumaki had applied it he had made sure it was clear and thin so that nobody would notice it- not even the teacher. The superglue was some sort of weird Uzumaki mixture with syrup and milk. How Uzumaki discovered that Sasuke didn't know, and quite frankly, he didn't want to. Now, their first period academy instructor looked like some sort of animal, especially with the lovely shade of purple he was turning.

"Don't be so carefree!" Uzumaki shouted, grinning up at the students who were seated in an amphitheatre fashion around the teacher, "Check your seats."

Immediately, the laughter stilled. Panic spread across the crowd, as each and every person jumped up from their seats, despair in their faces. Some people even cried. Others raged, swore revenge, but most of them had the most amusing shocked expressions. It was better than any circus Sasuke had ever seen.

"I'll get you for this!" Kiba yelled, leaping over the table to pummel Uzumaki to a pulp... and fell. The chair clattered as Kiba fell down the stairs, unaccustomed to the extra weight.

Sasuke felt his lips twitch. Maybe Naruto wasn't such an idiot, after all.

* * *

"Eh, what?" Naruto whispered, turning to his head slightly to his left as the Academy teacher went on and on about... something or another. Well, Naruto was paying attention, really! It was just... "Why did the Fire Daimyo marry his daughter to the Wind Daimyo? I mean, it wasn't as if she were in love or anything!"

"It's for a political alliance," Sasuke whispered back equally as quietly, an endless amount of patience in his voice, "Think about it this way. If the girl were strawberry icecream..."

"Ah," Naruto nodded when Sasuke finished his explanations, "Hey that's not a hard concept at all! Man, this Academy instructor is a bad teacher! You should be teaching the classes!"

Before Sasuke could reply, the bell rang, signalling the end to the boring Academy day. Well, it was boring for Naruto. Sasuke was always doing who knows what and reading who knows what at the back of the class, because he bloody knew almost everything already. Naruto on the other hand, had to pay attention because he didn't know everything, and Sasuke refused to explain to him the things he could learn in class.

Man, it wasn't fair! If Naruto had been able to travel with Edward nii-san for a year, he'd be like that too! Stupid Sasuke and his stupid privileges...

"Uchiha-san," The Academy instructor said suddenly, when Sasuke and Naruto were practically at the door, "Please stay behind for a moment."

Sasuke halted, and Naruto did too. The other students pushed past them, all eager to get out of school. Naruto wondered what it could be about. Had Sasuke's arrogant attitude finally snapped the Academy instructor? Or perhaps, had the instructor found out who _really_ did the squirrel prank? Or maybe the fangirls finally persuaded the teacher to let them sit with Sasuke? Or... ew... the teacher was a secret closet fangril?

Um... best not to go there.

When the other students were all gone, and it was only the three of them left, Sasuke spoke, "So... the matter?"

The Academy teacher glared at Naruto coldly, "Actually, this is about Uchiha-san's grades and how he should get privatized lessons. This has nothing to do with you, Uzumaki."

Naruto felt his earlier cheer disappear. Ah. So that was what it was; Sasuke and his privileges again. He understood of course. Sasuke was smart, he wasn't like the other academy students; he deserved private lessons.

Sasuke's eyes hardened, the look he gave the Academy teacher cold enough to freeze lava, "You do realize, that everything you'll tell me Naruto will-"

"It's fine, it's fine," Naruto waved his hands, turning to leave.

"Naruto-"

Naruto turned back and flashed a grin at the semi-concerned looking duck haired boy, "Hey, it'll take more than that to get the Super Awesome Uzumaki down! I'll see you at home, right?"

"Idiot," Sasuke snorted, the concern disappearing from his face. He turned back to the Academy instructor, dismissing Naruto, yet his tone was still icy, "So... the matter?"

The Academy instructor shut the door, leaving Naruto on the other side of it. Naruto stuck out his tongue at the closed door, the door that excluded him.

Shoving his hands in his pockets, Naruto slumped down the halls, letting his feet trace their way to the exit as his mind whirled with crushing thoughts. He tried not to have them, but they just wouldn't let him be.

Sasuke always got special treatment, it wasn't fair! Any regard or respect Naruto got was always second hand from Sasuke. A lot of girls would only talk to Naruto for that reason- because he was Sasuke's best friend. Only friend, really. And anything Sasuke did was ten times better than Naruto, he could admit that when he felt like being truthful to himself. So why wouldn't the teachers want to talk to the boy prodigy over the village pariah? It didn't even have to do necessarily with everyone hating him, it was just that they loved Sasuke.

Well, at least Naruto still had the title of the Konoha's Top Prankster.

Still, Naruto wished he had something of more substance...

_Crash_.

Naruto went sprawling to the ground, the heavy body that had suddenly appeared in front of him knocking him backwards and downwards. His bum hit the floor with a light impact, and a second later it was followed by a rain of small objects- one of which bounced off Naruto's head.

"Oww..." Naruto moaned, turning a glare at the things that had fallen around him. Books. He had always known books were evil.

"You- you-"

Someone was spluttering, and the voice was coming from... directly above him? Naruto looked up, and saw the angry face of one of the instructors at the academy. It was Kato-sensei, or something. Naruto was pretty sure he taught illusions. What had Sasuke called it? Oh yeah, genjutsu.

"How dare you bump into me?" Kato asked harshly, his face beet red. He looked like a tomato. Naruto opened his mouth, just about to tell Kato that, when he suddenly caught sight of one of the titles of the books that Kato had dropped. _The Yondaime's Best Works_

Naruto's mouth snapped shut, his eyes going wide. He forgot the insult he was about to spout, and stared fixedly at the book. Kato actually seemed to be getting a little worried, but then Naruto suddenly sprang up, pointing an accusing finger at the book, "That- that-!"

Kato looked startled, "What?"

Naruto leaped forward, grabbing the book with both hands, and holding it reverently. The Yondaime's best works. The _Yondaime's_. He didn't know why, but Naruto had always felt an affinity with the Yondaime. Maybe it was because of the Yondaime's smiling face, which made Naruto feel like for once he wasn't regarded as just a _thing_. Or maybe it was because the Sandaime told him such amazing stories about the Yondaime and the Yondaime alone, and constantly assured Naruto that the Yondaime would have loved him. Maybe it was that... Naruto didn't know, but he-

Kato shrieked, and snatched the book from Naruto's fingers, "What are you doing? This cost me a fortune! I'm not going to let you rip it to pieces! Or put a snake in it. Or do whatever you always do with books!"

"The Yondaime was Konoha's best ninja!" Naruto protested, "I wouldn't defile his book! I bet it has like, his best techniques and stuff. I just wanted to look at them!"

Well, he wanted to learn them too. Now that he'd seen Kato with this book, Naruto wasn't going to just let it go. Kato should expect a midnight visitor sometime soon, and he should expect to suddenly 'lose' _The Yondaime's Best Works_.

Kato looked thoughtful for a moment, before a superior glint entered his eyes, "Well you can't look at them. There are only five copies of this book in the world, and I paid a lot of money to get this one. A little brat like you can't look at it."

"But- but-"

"Besides, it isn't as if a snot nosed kid like you could understand what's in here. Actually, even when you're older, I doubt you'll understand the contents of this book."

"So can _you_ understand what's in there?"

Kato's nostrils flared, "The Yondaime's best works isn't referring to jutsus. If so, then of course I could learn them. But this book contains all of the Yondaime's best seals, and seals are extremely difficult to learn. I could learn them of course, but it's also time consuming, and my schedule is unfortunately full."

"Why get a book you can't understand?" Naruto asked, scratching his head. It didn't make much sense. "And what're seals?"

For a moment Kato looked ready to explode, but then the need to show off his knowledge won over again. "Humpht, I can't believe you don't even know what seals are, brat."

Naruto waited for an explanation. When there was none forthcoming, he sighed; he should have known. "You don't know what seals are either."

Kato went red, "Of course I know what seals are idiot! Seals are exactly as their name implies. _Seals_. If you draw a specific design on one object, you can seal another object inside of it. Take Exploding Tags for example- you've seen those squiggly drawings on them right? Well they're seals. Exploding Tags work by sealing an explosive oxidizing agent into a piece of paper, and by adding chakra into it you are releasing the seal, thus releasing the explosives. When the agent touches oxygen, it explodes."

Naruto nodded again, then scratched his head, "Um... so how do seals work again?"

"Argh! You idiot!"

"I'm not an idiot! You're explanation was weird! You kept using 'explosives, exploding, and explodes'; why can't you use some other words? They sound the same!"

Kato's nostrils flared, making him look like an angry bull about to rampage. Then, suddenly, he took a deep breath and knelt down. He started picking up the rest of his dropped books.

"H-hey!" Naruto didn't like being ignored. The blond squatted down to peer at Kato's face, and crossed his arms, "Don't ignore me!"

Kato didn't pay him any attention, and continued picking up the books. When Naruto caught sight of the teacher's face, he reeled. It was those- those cold eyes again. The whole time Kato had been arguing with him, Kato had at least had life and fire in his eyes. Now though... now it was as if Kato couldn't even see Naruto was there. Naruto wanted it to go away.

But how to make Kato angry? How? How? How?

"You're explanation on seals sucked!" Naruto suddenly blurted out, "I bet if I learned it by myself I could master it within a week!"

Ugh... really? That was the best he could come up with? But sealing seemed really hard and a week... no! Naruto Uzumaki could do it! He could do anything!

Kato looked up sharply, the spark of fire back in his eyes. He sneered, "You? Master sealing within a week? Ha! If you manage to master the basics within a year, I'll call you Master and obey you for the rest of your Academy career!"

It was a degrading promise on Kato's part; even worse than death. It just showed how certain Kato was that Naruto couldn't master the basics. Well Naruto'd show him! He would master not only the basics, but sealing itself!

"I'll do it!" Naruto boasted, "And I said I'd get sealing within a week! Prepare yourself, 'cause I'll master it for sure!"

...that didn't come out sounding nearly as cool as it did in his head.

Kato sneered, "Hmpht, arrogant upstart. There's no chance that you'll master sealing within a week, and my colleges will say I'm bullying if I gave you a totally unrealistic timeframe. You can try for a week, but I bet you won't even finish reading the first book by then."

"I will so-"

"Quiet!" A nasty smirk twisted itself across Kato's lips, "Hey, don't you think it's unfair that I have some stakes yet you have none at all. What's to stop you from giving up half way through this thing? After all, you have nothing to lose."

Naruto was actually offended by this. "I won't give up! I'll never give up!"

"So you say, but it'll be more comforting for me if you had some stake in this as well."

Naruto blinked, then looked down, "Alright. I'll... I'll stop eating ramen for three months if I don't master this!"

Hey! That was a HUGE sacrifice. No ramen for three months! He could practically feel his stomach protesting.

"No deal!" Kato's voice sounded strained, but Naruto could tell it was anger that was leaking through. Why was Kato restraining his anger? "That kind of deal can't possibly compete with what I'll lose if you happen to win the bet."

"Well then what do you want?"

A hint of smugness entered Kato's voice, "If I tell you your stakes, I'm afraid you'll back away."

Naruto's head shot up, blue eyes burning with determination, "I won't back away! And I won't lose! Tell me your stakes!"

"Fine," Kato sneered, "If you don't master the basics of sealing within a year, you have to-"

What? Quit doing pranks? That was what all the teachers wanted, right? Easily done. Well, not so easy, because he'd hate to part with his brilliant manoeuvres, but at least he knew Sasuke would continue with his legacy. There were after all, many other ways to annoy people. Besides, now that Naruto had Sasuke and Edward nii-san, as well as Gramps, the cold eyes didn't matter as much.

"-quit being a ninja!"

..._what_? WHAT? Naruto took a step back, stumbling, "Y-y-you can't be serious!"

"What?" Kato had a glint in his eyes, "Suddenly scared that you'll lose? What happened to your earlier confidence? The 'I won't lose!'?"

"Th-that-" Naruto took a deep breath, and puffed out his chest, "That's right! I won't lose! I'll win this bet for sure!"

"Great," Kato said with a superior smirk, turning away so that Naruto couldn't see his face anymore. He started walking away, but Naruto could still hear his smug voice, "Then I'll see you here exactly one year from now, to see how you're doing with your end of the bargain. I'll personally take away your ninja gear."

"I'll master sealing within a week!"

Kato's condescending laughter was the only response he got.

Naruto fumed in the hallways, but then calmed down. All he had to do was master sealing, right? It couldn't be _that_ hard.

Except that it maybe was that hard. Kato's explanation on seals had been confusing, and although Naruto had understood most of it, there were still some parts he was unsure about. But... but maybe Kato had purposefully made a hard explanation just to discourage Naruto. Yeah, that had to be it!

Besides, Naruto could always ask Sasuke for help and-

Wait. Ask Sasuke for help? Was this where he was heading in his ninja career? Naruto had always been self-sufficient and independent, and now every time he encountered a problem he was running to Sasuke? What was up with that?

No, he couldn't go to Sasuke. Besides, if Naruto managed to master sealing and then show Sasuke, how impressed would the dark haired boy be? Very impressed, that's what. Yeah, Naruto had to learn sealing in secret, so that he'd finally have some advantage over the Uchiha heir. Naruto took a deep breath, and spun around, intending to go the opposite way Kato had gone.

And he almost fell again.

Sasuke was standing in front of him, arms crossed and head cocked to one side. Naruto stumbled a little, but quickly caught himself before he really fell. He glared at the Uchiha who just appeared out of nowhere, "What are you doing here scaring the crap out of random innocent bystanders?"

Sasuke raised a brow, "I doubt you're really innocent if you're staying after school for this long. Anyway, I was just heading home. That stupid Academy teacher finally released me."

...oh yeah. The Academy teacher and the private lessons.

"When are they?" Naruto asked cheerfully, pushing away his bitterness. Resentment had no place in Naruto's heart, especially not now. Besides, Naruto was going to learn sealing, was he not?

"When are what?" Sasuke asked indifferently, shrugging as he moved his hands from between his arms to inside his pockets.

Naruto looked away, as if he had suddenly found something very interesting on the other side of the hallway. "You know, the private lessons that the Academy instructor offered."

"Oh those," Sasuke paused for a moment, "Well, I refused."

"What?" Naruto's head turned around so quickly it was a wonder his neck didn't snap, "You refused?"

"Well of course," Sasuke said stiffly, "Private lessons or public lessons, it's all the same isn't it? Besides, they wouldn't be as good as Aniki in instruction."

Naruto stiffened, his mouth twitching from holding in a sneer. He couldn't help it, but Sasuke's words just compounded the Naruto's loneliness, and the fact that the only one who seemed to genuinely want to spend time with Naruto... had spent more time with Sasuke. "Of course. Whatever the Academy instructors could provide just isn't special enough for you, is it? You have to have _the best_."

Sasuke narrowed his eyes, "What, are you talking about?"

"Isn't it obvious?" Naruto spat, ignoring the way that Sasuke's eyes seemed to harden with every word he said "You're spoiled rotten! Most people would jump at a chance to have private lessons, heck, I couldn't even _dream_ of such a thing, yet you... you don't even give your time of day to consider the offer. If that wasn't spoiled then I don't know-"

"I refused," Sasuke hissed, stepping closer so that he was nose to nose with Naruto, "Because of you."

Naruto froze. Wh..what? Sasuke had refused private lessons, lessons which would make Sasuke's school life actually interesting... for Naruto? Sasuke was... Then, Naruto stepped back, "I don't need your charity!"

"Charity?" Sasuke said incredulously, "What charity? You think... you think I'm doing this because I pity you?"

"Well why else?" Naruto demanded, "This... this is your opportunity! You're the village favourite, I'm the outcast! I'm not as much of an idiot as everyone thinks I am. I know!"

"Did you ever think," Sasuke hissed, his eyes growing colder and colder, "That being in a class with you has more appeal to me than a private lesson? That maybe I don't _want_ the attention everyone gives me? That maybe I find it _fun_ to see what prank you'll do... no? Hn, we've been living with eachother for half a year now, and it looks like you still don't know a thing about me."

Smiling harshly, Sasuke turned his back on Naruto and disappeared, his body flickering in the sunlight.

Naruto could only stand there, stunned.

* * *

Tsunade drunk yet another bottle, watching out of the corner of her eye as Edward examined another scroll, his brow ceased deep in thought. He had made prodigal progress over the past few months; eating up the texts she gave him like they were candy and easily coming to all the conclusions she wanted him to. He wasn't like Shizune, who although was the world to Tsunade, was suited to be an assistant. He was a true genius at medicine.

And that was what worried her.

Watching him go through her studies like mad, conducting his own experiments, she couldn't help but be reminded of another golden eyed, obsessive genius. Now she really wondered… she wondered if she had done the right thing, accepting Edward. Would he turn on them, like Orochimaru had? She didn't think she could stand another betrayal. So… so there was only one thing she could do…

Just then, the door to their room crashed open. She noticed Edward tense ever so slightly. Tsunade looked through blurry eyes at their intruder, lifting her head from the desk. She let out a sloppy grin; they didn't need to worry, "Hey, are you here to give me more?"

Saying this, she gestured to the two dozen bottles of strong alcohol beside her, all empty.

The intruder shot her a disgusted look, pulling out a kunai and twirling it in his fingers, "So, this is how much the legendary Tsunade has fallen, eh? Hehe, looks like my little bird was correct in his information. I could easily take you out now and gain your title!"

"What-" Tsunade hiccupped, only to be pushed off the chair as a kunai went whizzing by her head, imbedding itself where she had been resting moments before. She looked up at Edward, who was standing in front of her, his whole body coiled in fury.

"I was on something important," He gritted out, crossing his arms, "And who are you anyways?"

"You don't know me?" The intruder sneered, then pointed a thumb towards himself self importantly, "I'm Earthquake Araki, the equivalent of an ANBU from where you're from. You two will die by my hands today."

"Never heard of you," Edward stated flatly.

"Why you little-!" Araki flew forwards, sweeping out a leg as he came close to Edward. The blond didn't blink, deftly plucking a senbon from his desk and slamming it into Araki's neck. The intruder went still, crumpling like a sac of potatoes.

Edward stared blankly at the fallen body, "Well, that was… anticlimactic."

"Don't be so sure," Tsunade whispered harshly, struggling to get up from her position on the ground. Putting one hand on the table, she heaved herself to her feet, examining the body of Araki with a critical eye. Edward hadn't killed him; he'd simply paralyzed Araki's body with a precise penetration. It showed amazing skill in senbon, as well as Edward's knowledge in human anatomy. Truly, Edward was gifted, still… "I've heard of Earthquake Araki. He's truly a ruthless man, but also very powerful. The only reason you got him this time was because he underestimated you, and didn't use any jutsus. If he had… you would be dead right now."

Edward stayed silent for a little while longer, then finally snorted, "Heh, then I guess I'm lucky he only used taijutsu. And hardly even a notable one at that."

"You don't understand! He won't forget this! He'll surely come back for you, and then what will you do? I won't be around then, and I don't want someone I spent so much time teaching to just die! I refuse to believe that you haven't thought of that."

"Then what do you suggest we do?"

Tsunade staggered over to the still body of Araki, gazing down coldly at it, "We kill him."

"W-wh-what?"

"We eliminate him now," Tsunade said tersely, "So he won't be of any threat in the future."

"That's too much!" Edward glared at her heatedly, his eyes shining like molten gold, "I mean, we can't end a life because of a 'what if'! Then we should go on killing everyone because they could potentially be dangerous!"

"So you would rather he killed you later?"

"No! This… this is ridiculous. Look, he won't really be a threat to you, so it's not really your problem is it? I've still got some tricks up my sleeve, and I'm a jounin in Konoha for a reason. I can take care of him."

"You're a _Special Jounin_, they do not operate at the same capacity as a regular jounin does. I can trust that you can take on an ANBU level ninja? Don't make me laugh. Fine then, if you don't want to do it yourself, I guess I'll kill him. Hmpth, softy."

"Don't!" Edward's hand flashed out, gripping Tsunade's arm and preventing her from moving.

Tsunade's eyes flashed, "You dare stop me?"

"Look, it's not- I mean, it isn't-"

At Edward's flustered and frustrated face, Tsunade couldn't help but laugh. Surprised, Edward glanced at her warily, probably thinking she had gone insane. Well, Tsunade wouldn't blame the kid for thinking that. Letting a sincere smile spread across her face, the age old woman patted Edward on the head, "You passed."

"…what?"

"Araki," Tsunade smiled, pushing on the still body with her toe, "Is someone I hired. He's just a genin, and nobody dangerous. That's why you've never heard of him. We simply talked about our story beforehand. Heh, Earthquake Araki indeed…"

"Why did you… do this?"

The truth? She had been suspicious of his motive. After how much she had seen he was against killing, all her suspicion had vanished. He was nothing like Orochimaru. But… looking at his slightly hurt eyes now, she knew she couldn't say that. After all, how good would it feel to have your mentor doubt you? He didn't need to know, anyway.

There was another thing, that she could comment on… "How do you plan to live a life as a ninja?"

"Huh?"

"You didn't want to kill him," Tsunade said patiently, "Well if you did I would have stopped you but… the point is, you didn't. If you're so against killing, why're you a ninja, who's entire career is centered around killing? Isn't it better to just stay here, and become my apprentice permanently, then go back to that place?"

Edward blinked, getting a faraway look in his eyes as he glanced away, "I actually didn't want to be a ninja in the first place but…I promised the Sandaime that I'd help him create peace in Konoha. Plus, I've gotten used to this life."

Tsunade gritted her teeth in frustration. Now that she knew she could completely trust the medic-in-training, she wanted nothing more than for him to stop being a ninja. But she knew what Edward was like, and she knew that she couldn't start spewing philosophies and expect him to follow it without logical backing. "That still doesn't solve how you're going to refrain from killing. You will have to, eventually. Heck, it's been a miracle that you still haven't yet!"

Edward's lips twisted downwards, and for a long moment there was nothing but silence. Just when Tsunade thought she had won, Edward's quiet voice broke through her thoughts, "Then… then I'll just invent a way to make a ninja harmless without killing them."

* * *

A/n: Naruto and seals? Meh... I'm kinda annoyed that his mum just happens to be this great seal master too and descended from the wife of the first Hokage, etc, etc, but I had Naruto being good at seals planned from the beginning of this fic and I'm too lazy to go and change all those future scenes. So yes, he does learn them. After all, both his parents are apparently prodigies at it. (Sorry, this is just me being bitter towards the author. Can't Naruto have one normal parent? Seriously, he's getting waaayyy too much predestined. I always thought the beauty of Naruto was that he was a normal kid who could do amazing things because he tried hard, not because he was born into it.)

HOWEVER, he will not be able to master them within a week. That's too super!Naruto for my taste, and I am trying my best to keep anyone from being undefeatable.


	13. III

Chapter 3- Uchiha

_Thump. Thump. Thump._

The kunai hit, but they didn't hit their intended targets. Instead of the red bullseye they usually tasted, they barely made it into the ring. The wooden board twitched with the force of the throw, almost toppling over.

Sasuke gritted his teeth, and threw another kunai towards his target. It missed the board completely.

Shaking, Sasuke stomped over to the board and yanked his kunai out. He had never been so completely out of focus before, not since he had first started learning how to handle ninja weapons. He had never missed still targets quite this badly.

And it was all that stupid Naruto's fault.

That brainless, senseless, idiot! How dare he think that _Sasuke_ was the one who needed to consider others, that _Sasuke_ was the one who knew nothing about his housemate? Pity? Charity? Would Sasuke _Uchiha_ ever give those things? Sasuke, who understood better than anyone that pity and charity had no place in a grieving man's life?

He traced his steps back to his starting place, and threw his kunai again, imagining that the wooden board was Naruto's head. Surely a few holes in that orange idiot's head could only improve Naruto's mental condition.

Throwing kunais consumed him, and slowly the targets turned back to what they were supposed to be- targets. Sasuke was starting to hit bullseye again, and he knew that he was calming down. Whether he would be calm or not once he saw Naruto, he didn't know, but at least that idiot wasn't ruining his kunai practice anymore.

And then one of his kunai flew into the bushes.

Sasuke took a deep breath, and honestly tried to calm himself down this time. It was almost scary how much anger affected his accuracy. He couldn't allow it to happen. Ninja couldn't be allowed to make mistakes just because they were angry- Aniki wouldn't, and Itachi nii-san wouldn't.

Sasuke went to pick up his kunais, and tried again. Before he knew it, the sun was setting, and the wooden boards started to resemble the cheese Sasuke had ate earlier that day. He knew it was time to go home, but it was anything but what he wanted at the moment.

He didn't want to go back to the apartment, didn't _want_ to go back and see Naruto's sorry face. But... where else could he go?

He couldn't just ask to stay in someone else's house, nor could he go to a hotel. The civilians would have a field day, and there would be talk that Sasuke didn't want going around. He didn't want to sleep in the woods tonight, but somehow the thought of dwelling with others was much worse. There would be questions, questions about where he was staying and-

Hey wait a minute, nobody knew where Sasuke lived, did they? Sure, some people had guesses, but no one really knew for sure. He had heard the whispers; he was far from death. The people who did recognize him (and there were blessedly few, since he had been away for so long) either thought he was staying with a private jounin instructor or...

_The Uchiha Compound_.

Yes, yes that was it! It was perfect. The idiot blond would never think to look for him there, if Naruto even knew where the Compound was. As far as Sasuke knew, they had never taken down the houses in that area, thinking that it would be disrespectful to the Uchiha. Even in death, the name of Uchiha still held great power.

With a nod to himself, Sasuke started walking towards his old home. The steps he found, were frightening easy to retrace. He hadn't been there in over a year, and yet running from the Academy to his old home, he didn't even have to think about where he was going. It looked like the long memories from his childhood were hard to forget, after all.

Finally, he made it there, to the tall imposing gates and red-black colour scheme. Sasuke took a deep breath, and pushed the gates open.

Even he wasn't prepared for what he saw. He stumbled, ever so slightly, from the flood of memories which rushed through his mind leaving no sane part intact. It... it looked exactly the same as it always did; the houses facing the horizon and the long twining path that ran towards each of them.

Sasuke felt his vision blur, and felt the gate swing closed behind him. This... this was the Uchiha Residence. His _home_. He staggered forwards, passing the various houses and streets of the large compound, unconsciously tracing the route to his house. Red wood with white paper walls flashed past him, one after another- all _too_ familiar.

He half expected old man Aoi the vendor to wink at him from across the street, offering him a steaming plate of noodles. Sasuke's stomach would grumble, but he would decline, knowing that his mother would give him a scolding if he accepted.

In a house not too far from his, Auntie Mai would call out to him, asking the boy how his day had been, and warning him not to train too hard. Sasuke would blush, and Auntie Mai would laugh and send him on his way.

There would have been guards at the entrance of course, but Sasuke could just pretend that they were being neglectful in their duties and taking a break. He could practically see the streets filled with people, people drudged up from his half-forgotten memories.

He pushed open the door to his house, noting idly that the kunai mark from Itachi's warning shot was still there.

His mother would turn from her spot on the mat, her long-honed senses picking up that he was here. Her book that she had been reading would be in her lap, and when she saw him her expression would change. At first it would be a half-concerned, half-exasperated look; carefully hidden of course, but Sasuke knew her well enough to tell. Then, it would quickly morph to gentle annoyance, and she would admonish him for getting home so late.

Sasuke would act all abashed when he wasn't really, because he wanted to catch up to Itachi nii-san and that was that, but he'd be a little sorry that he'd made her worry. Then, Mother would get up, and gently lead Sasuke to the kitchen, where she had saved some of her left-over soba. Sasuke would complain that she didn't make his favourite –omusubi- and she would scold him by saying that if he had been home on time, she might have considered it.

Father would come in, with that look of his. He wouldn't pay any attention to Sasuke, but Sasuke didn't mind. He knew that Father silently approved of his extended training. Itachi nii-san would be in his room, doing who knows what or reviewing his missions, but he always had some sort of time to play with Sasuke. Sasuke would think about bugging his brother later, after he finished the delicious plate of soba noodles...

Sasuke fell on his knees, and _screamed_.

Why! Why! Why? _Why_ did it have to be _this_ way? Why couldn't it be... why couldn't it be the way he imagined? Sasuke crawled forwards, in the now empty house which hadn't been visited in over a year. There was dust on the floor now, soiling Sasuke's clothes and hands, but he didn't mind. The house was dark now, completely devoid of light. This house had never been something like the apartment Sasuke shared with Edward and Naruto, but it always had a warmth and comfort in it that Sasuke hadn't realized the importance of until now. Now, it felt like death. There was not a sound, except the harsh panting and loud thudding of Sasuke's heart. Just like... that night.

He stopped at a spot on the floor, near the center of the room but not quite there. Sasuke stretched his palms out, spreading his fingers across the floorboards so that he was on all fours. He pressed his cheek to the cool mahogany base, and closed his eyes. He tried to feel for some heat, some warmth, some blood, but there was nothing...

There was nothing remaining of the place where his mother had died.

He could picture it now, so clearly- too clearly. Itachi was just standing there, over Mother's body like some great big bat. Mother was still alive, looking at Itachi with loving eyes. Sasuke wondered if Itachi had seen that?

But he couldn't have, or else he wouldn't have done what he did next. Itachi kicked over Mother's body, saying something coldly to Sasuke. His eyes, they were so bitter, his expression without a soul. He hadn't been Itachi nii-san in that moment, because he-

_No!_ No, he couldn't think about Itachi nii-san like that! Itachi nii-san would never do something like that- Itachi nii-san wouldn't ever-

But he felt the creeping doubt in the back of his mind, ever present and only diminished in Aniki's presence. When Aniki was with him, Sasuke never doubted, never thought for a moment that Itachi nii-san's innocence was suspect. He hadn't ever thought that maybe, just maybe, Itachi couldn't be forgiven no matter what the circumstances. That maybe, just maybe, that no matter if Itachi had been forced into it or not, Itachi Uchiha should have not murdered his family.

Here, at Mother's deathplace, a 'might-be' seemed like a flimsy excuse. Sasuke could almost feel Father's accusing eyes, those hard hard eyes, demanding why he wasn't taking revenge for the Uchiha Clan. Why he wasn't taking revenge for Mother.

No matter what, why would Itachi have murdered the entire clan? What could they have threatened him with that was worth more than the clan, than their family? There was nothing...

In front of his parents' grave, Sasuke could see how weak his excuses had been, how pathetic his reasoning had been. He didn't want to, didn't want to face that his last remaining family member was evil, but he could find nothing to go against it. It seemed so obvious now, so glaringly obvious that Itachi Uchiha could have had no good reason to murder his entire family. There was always always another way, so why hadn't Itachi niisan-?

He wished Aniki was here.

Aniki had such a determination, such a confidence about him, and that confidence bled to everyone around him. With Aniki, Sasuke could believe in his last remaining family member, could actually _believe_ that everything would be fine- or at least, going to be fine. But, Aniki wasn't here now...

Why wasn't Aniki here now? Why wasn't Aniki here to chase away the pain and insanity? Why did Aniki have to go on that stupid trip and leave Sasuke all alone? Why... why...

Was it, was it because Aniki had tired of Sasuke? Sasuke wasn't as talented or as smart as his brother, he knew that. Was that why Aniki had brought in Naruto too, to subtly tell Sasuke that Edward Elric no longer cared about the nine year old Uchiha?

That had to be it, didn't it? Aniki had always like Itachi nii-san better, even if Itachi was a murderer...

_Darkness._

_The world was dark, and the only thing that could be seen was through the fickle flickering of the moonlight. Sasuke ran, not caring that he could hardly see, not caring that he kept tripping over dead bodies. He simply ran with all his might, because he knew he had to get there before-_

_Up ahead, he saw the flash of weapons, the glint of the metal of a Konoha forehead protector catching the moonlight. Two figures descended on Sasuke's target, but Sasuke knew that they wouldn't be able to catch him. They would, Sasuke thought with a sinking heart, probably lose their lives._

_As soon as the thought entered his mind, Sasuke heard the sickening crash as bodies hit dirt, and he knew that the two ANBU had failed. Sasuke jumped, flying like a hawk over the Uchiha wall. His target was escaping, and Sasuke only had a little bit of time._

_Itachi wasn't looking at him- Itachi was looking at the ANBU guards he had felled, making sure that they would not get up again. Itachi had always been better than Sasuke, would never let Sasuke land a hit on him in normal circumstances, but this was far from normal._

_With gritted teeth, Sasuke let the kunai in his hand _fly_. He aimed it, threw it, just like Itachi nii-san had taught him to. He wanted to stop being so _confused_, so unsure whether the Itachi which stood in front of him like an unyielding hangman was his brother or the clan's enemy. If... If Itachi nii-san lost his forehead protector, his symbol as a ninja and protector of Konoha, maybe Sasuke wouldn't see him as Brother any more. If his purpose for peace was gone, Itachi nii-san could just be Itachi, right?_

_The forehead protector skid on the floor, and Itachi turned around. He looked almost surprised, in the harsh moonlight. Then, slowly, Itachi bent down and picked it back up, tying it back around his head. Sasuke wanted to scream in frustration; no, no, no! It wasn't supposed to be like this! Itachi was a missing nin, so why couldn't Itachi nii-san admit that?_

_Then, Itachi nii-san looked at him, and in the moonlight Sasuke could see a stream of wetness on the older boy's cheek. Tears?_

_... and the world went black._

Sasuke's eyes snapped open.

Sasuke sat up and groaned, rubbing his back. Sleeping on floorboards was infinitely worse than just sleeping in the words; at least with the woods, you could make some sort of cushioning for yourself.

He squinted slightly, the light flooding in the room from outside and the white paper walls not doing the least bit to block it. Sasuke looked around, taking in all the details of his old living room. It had a completely different atmosphere from last night, not seeming nearly as hostile and much more...

Sasuke blushed, ever so slightly, as he thought about his thought process last night. Just what had been up with him? Of course Itachi nii-san was innocent and Aniki didn't abandon him. Just what had Sasuke been thinking? Had he turned into Naruto all of the sudden- having a brain but incapable of using it?

Or perhaps... Sasuke looked down, and felt his heart skip a beat. It was the room- of course it was. The room where his Mother and Father had died, the room where everything changed. Abruptly, he stood up. He couldn't stay here.

Sasuke pushed open the door to the room and left his old house behind without a second guess. That room affected him more than he cared to think about, and he knew he couldn't spend another night there or he would go insane.

Sasuke walked around, looking for another place to dwell. The Uchiha compound brought back memories, but they were much kinder this time 'round. Sasuke could think about them with a reminiscent, bittersweet now. It was the light, the light made everything so much brighter.

For some reason he was reminded of Naruto, but then he snorted and shook that thought off. Naruto, the light? Ha, only if by 'the light' he meant 'so light because he had no brain'. Still... after last night's episode, his anger at Naruto felt a lot more subdued.

Should he... go home?

No, no he still felt too raw for that. If he went home now, he didn't know what his reactions would be. Besides, he didn't want to see Naruto after last night's episode. Didn't want anyone to see how shaken up he was. Except... except maybe Aniki, but Aniki wasn't here right now.

Before he knew it Sasuke was standing in front of a familiar building, a blazing fan embedded on the door. Uncle Shusui's house. Uncle Shusui, who played with him occasionally, who always gave him odd treats that both Itachi nii-san and Aniki would disprove of. Uncle Shusui, who went missing before the Massacre.

Sasuke felt that he could stay in Shusui's house without going insane.

He pushed open the door, and stepped in. Immediately, the smell of old furniture filled his nostrils. The house hadn't been opened in a year and a half, and it was rotting. Thankfully, the paper walls managed to distil most of the smell, but some of it remained. It didn't matter to Sasuke though; he was used to odd smells from his travels, and even odder smells coming from Naruto's room back at home.

He stepped in... and his stomach grumbled.

Oh yeah, he hadn't eaten since lunch yesterday, had he? Sasuke immediately turned his heel and went towards Shusui's kitchen, knowing where it was from the few times he had been here. Uncle Shusui had to have a few preservatives, right? Sasuke shuffled around in the cupboards, hoping to find _something_ of substance. He was seriously hungry now.

Then, when he opened the door to one of the cupboard, Sasuke saw something odd. There was a little piece of wood, looking like it blended perfectly with the other wooden pieces, except that it was just a tinge darker. Sasuke's spine stiffened in anticipation, and ever so gently he jingled the mismatched wood from its place. Behind it rested a piece of yellow paper.

Sasuke's heart was thumping now. Had he discovered something? Something that they had all missed- Uncle Shusui's last memento? Reverently, Sasuke took the piece of paper from its hiding place, smoothing out the edges and placing it gently on the kitchen counter.

Sasuke looked at it.

It was blank. Completely blank.

Sasuke blinked, then held up the paper. The light in the room revealed nothing. Sasuke was tempted to run it under water, but knew that if there was a secret message on the sheet, then it would be completely ruined by whatever method Sasuke devised to uncover it. The black haired boy shook his head in disgust; he had finally found something that could help them with the Itachi nii-san mystery, but he couldn't capsize on it.

Oh well, he could always get Aniki to look at it when Aniki came back. Edward Elric would know what to do.

Shaking his head, Sasuke stalked to another cupboard, leaving the slip of paper on the counter. This time, he did find some food- ramen. Wonderful.

Letting out an exasperated sigh (was fate playing a joke on him by making him see Naruto wherever he went?) Sasuke prepared the ramen and set the kettle to cook hot water. Just then, he noticed something odd in the kettle's reflection, and almost dropped his bowl of ramen.

His reflection, it was-

Sasuke ran upstairs, not caring if the water was going to overboil. He rushed to the bathroom, and stopped dead. In the mirror's reflection, Sasuke Uchiha stared back at him, but with one feature that Sasuke Uchiha didn't have. Or at least, hadn't had.

His eyes were a bloody red.

The Sharingan.

Shakily, Sasuke raised a hand to his face, unable to quite believe it. When had he- how had-? And then, he remembered. His dream... that was a memory, wasn't it? Itachi nii-san had cried, so Itachi nii-san really hadn't wanted to kill the clan. And Sasuke... Sasuke had gained the Sharingan that night.

Sasuke slumped to his knees, his mind still awhirl. This was- this was-

And then he remembered the slip of paper.

Sasuke ran downstairs again, as fast as his legs could carry him. Just taking enough time to turn off the heater so the water wouldn't explode, Sasuke quickly looked for that piece of wood that he had taken out. It was distinctly darker than the other pieces of wood that lined the cupboards.

Sasuke closed his eyes, willing for his Sharingan to recede. Somehow –maybe it was part of the bloodline- he just knew how to do this. It was like the bloodline limit revealed itself to the owner in some ways. When he opened his eyes again, he couldn't see the difference between the piece of wood he had taken out and the others in Shusui's house.

Just as he thought- Shusui had made it so only someone with the Sharingan could discover his secret.

So then... Sasuke looked confusedly at the piece of paper lying innocently on the counter. So then... why couldn't Sasuke read that paper? Was this another countermeasure to ensure that Shusui's message didn't fall into the wrong hands? Could there be another requirement other than the Sharinga-

Wait a minute!

Sasuke could have slapped himself for being so stupid. Shusui had completely mastered the Sharingan, so of course he expected for anyone to be looking for his message to have done the same. However, Sasuke only had one tomae. He was still on Level One, and he hadn't even mastered that yet!

Perhaps... perhaps Sasuke's eyes weren't good enough to see Shusui's message yet.

Yes, that sounded like something Uncle Shusui would do. If so, then there was no point in telling Aniki about this. Aniki wouldn't be able to read it anyway, and it'd just bring back painful memories.

With that decided, Sasuke pocketed the slip of paper, intent on putting it in a more safe spot later, and got started on his ramen. It somehow tasted even worse than Naruto's ramen, but that was probably due to the fact that Uncle Shusui's food was probably two years old. Oh well, beggars couldn't be choosers.

And then, Sasuke thought of something.

He had... the Sharingan.

Which meant that he was a full Uchiha adult, which meant that he could finally access the Uchiha vault. Sasuke stood up, his half finished bowl of ramen forgotten. The Uchiha vault... the amount of jutsus that had been accumulated...

He ran out of Shusui's house.

Sasuke sprinted to the main Uchiha house, where his father had told him that all the jutsus in the world was stored. Of course, whenever Sasuke had been there, he had seen nothing special, but now that he had the Sharingan, he knew that it meant nothing.

There probably was a secret passageway or something, a trap door which could only been seen by the users of the elusive eye technique. Sasuke burst into the main room, and scanned the area. There wasn't anything there out of place, except-

There, on the floor, there was a thin line that he was sure wasn't supposed to be there. Sasuke knelt down in front of it, and thought. What was the best way to open it...?

There was no way that it would require anything forceful, or else they'd have to rebuild the trapdoor every time. Maybe there was a switch or something that Sasuke hadn't seen yet. With that decided, Sasuke spent the rest of the day looking around the room, trying to find the hidden switch. Finally, he saw it, hidden on the ceiling beside the light.

Sasuke took out one of his kunais, and threw it. The tip nicked the switch, and a low rumbling sound filled the room. A whole section of the floor disappeared, sliding away to reveal a secret staircase. Sasuke felt a grin spread across his lips; he was a kid after all, and the thrill of discovering a secret exited him.

He quickly got a lamp, and ran to the stairs... only to pause.

Did he... did he really want to go down there by himself? He'd be looking through scrolls sure, learning things, but somehow that wasn't what he wanted to do right now. He wanted to run home and tell a certain blond; sharing a secret was possibly the only thing better than discovering one. But... but this was his family treasure, how could he possibly tell Naruto?

He could hear his father's disapproving voice now, sneering at him for wanting to give an outsider Uchiha secrets. He'd be disowned of course, because the only thing worse than murdering the clan was shaming them.

Sharing a family secret with a loudmouthed idiot would definitely be shaming them.

Sasuke descended down the stairs, taking a lamp down with him. It wasn't like it mattered anyway. Naruto was already busy enough with the academy's work, and besides... besides...

Didn't Naruto say that Sasuke was acting like he pitied the blond? Didn't Naruto say that he resented Sasuke's help and placement? Well, if Naruto was going to act like a complete and utter idiot, than Sasuke had no reasons to consider him at all. Nodding to himself, Sasuke jumped down the stairs two at a time.

When he got to the bottom, all he could see was a large chamber, with hundreds of shelves that were obviously supposed to hold scrolls. The only thing was... there were no scrolls.

Sasuke frowned, and walked the entire perimeter of the underground chamber, occasionally going upstairs to change his lamp, but ultimately found nothing. All the shelves were strangely empty. He wondered if there was another switch that led to the real room, and this was just the decoy.

He didn't know how long he searched for, but he noted that the sky outside was getting dark. Sasuke sighed in disappointment; he didn't want to stay in the Uchiha compound for another night, even if it was within a secret chamber. He wanted... to go home.

And somehow he kept on finding himself imagining another person beside him as he looked- someone with blond hair and blue eyes. But that was ridiculous, wasn't it?

When Sasuke did get home, the scent of freshly made omusubi greeted him. Sasuke paused in the doorway, his mind drawing a blank. Mother...?

But no, it wasn't Mother who awaited him at the table; it was a nervous and twitchy blond with large goggles on his head. Naruto.

Sasuke felt himself slump in disappointment, and then checked himself. The dark haired boy straightened, closing the door behind him with an audible click. He took off his shoes slowly, his emotions aflutter. It wasn't Mother, though he had wished it was. No, it was only Naruto. This was too reminiscent of the scene he had imagined in the Uchiha compound for him to accept Naruto's food.

With that decided, Sasuke walked past the table, fully intent on crawling into his bed and taking out the secret food stash that he hid within his room. As he walked past however, a hand shot out, seizing his arm with an unrelenting grip. He was suddenly reminded why he was mad at Naruto.

"Sasuke..." Naruto's voice was soft, pleading, wholly unlike him.

Sasuke didn't care. He turned his head around slowly, fixating the blond with a cold glare, the frustration and disappointment of not finding the Uchiha family scrolls making it easy. "And what do you think you're doing?"

Naruto looked down, his head bowed in submission, "Sasuke... I- I'm sorry. I didn't mean- well, maybe I did mean it, but you know how I am. I just said what I said out of anger, I don't really feel like that all the time. I can be a real idiot at times and-"

"Only sometimes?" Sasuke muttered, not able to help himself.

Naruto tensed, his grip on Sasuke's arm tightening ever so slightly. Then, he seemed to take a breath, and all the tension drained out of him. "Ye-yeah, I guess I deserved that huh? I shouldn't have thought all that about you, I'm really sorry."

Sorry...

Sasuke hesitated, looking at Naruto. Naruto looked like he was genuinely upset about what had transpired yesterday. Perhaps... perhaps Sasuke could forgive him. After all, it wasn't like the fight hadn't done some good.

"I was a real idiot yesterday huh?" Naruto continued, "I actually know that you... know that you aren't doing any of it because you feel pity or whatever. It's just... hard sometimes you know?"

Hard?

_Hard?_

_Naruto_ thought he had it _hard_? Fresh in his memory, the Uchiha compound flashed across his mind, and the night that had changed Sasuke's life forever. Itachi nii-san, and his tears, being forced to do something he didn't want to. Aniki, and the long trips he made, the tired face he had after a long day of looking for information to prove Itachi nii-san's innocence. And Naruto was using the excuse that it was _hard_.

Sasuke jerked his hand out of Naruto's grip, his voice cold. "I'm leaving."

Naruto's head shot up so fast it was a wonder his neck didn't break, blue eyes flashing with anger, "What?"

"You heard me," Sasuke said frostily, "I'm not here to listen to your little stories of woe."

Naruto stomped his feet. Yes, actually stomped his feet. "Hey I tried to be nice, 'cause I realize that I was wrong and all, but I guess that it doesn't matter all that much to you right? Well good, 'cause I'm sick of the docile act."

Sasuke snarled, his mind reminding him exactly why he was mad at Naruto again. "There you go again, thinking you know what I care or don't care about. What matters or doesn't matter to me. You don't know me at all!"

"I don't know you _at all_? Okay bub, I admit I made a mistake yesterday, and I sure as heck can't understand your angst-y arse sometimes, but I do know that your favourite food is omuburi and that you hate sweets. Your favourite game is Gamiyu but you feel guilty playing it when you could be training. You're going overboard!"

"Overboard?" Sasuke asked incredulously, "_Me_? Who's the overboard one? Who's the one who wears bright orange and makes annoying pranks? Who's the one who goes around proclaiming that he'll be Hokage?"

"Hey I'm not only proclaiming, I _will_ become Hokage! I don't care who doesn't believe me, I don't care who thinks I'm an idiot, I'll one day become the Hokage and then people will acknowledge me!"

"The day you'll become Hokage is the day Konoha will collapse," Sasuke snorted, ridicule evident in his voice.

"You- you-!" Naruto's face was turning red now, an odd contrast to his jumpsuit.

"I'm leaving," Sasuke said once again, turning on his heel and stalking towards his room.

This time, Naruto didn't stop him. "Fine! I'm leaving too you ansty bastard!"

There was the sound of stomping footsteps, and Sasuke knew that Naruto had left the kitchen. Well, whatever. All the idiot could seem to do was copy another person's initiative; why was Sasuke even friends with this guy?

Friends... Sasuke paused, and it wasn't just because of the door that now loomed in front of him. He opened the door to his bedroom and walked in, his mind awhirl despite himself. Friends... he had never really had those before, had he? Could this possibly be the reason why he was so angry at Naruto? Not because he thought Naruto was taking advantage of him (which seemed like a flimsy excuse anyway) but because they were... friends?

He shoved that thought down as soon as it appeared.

Ridiculous, utterly ridiculous. Sasuke was mad at Naruto because the blond so utterly disregarded the sacrifices others had made, and wouldn't see out of his own little shell to the hardships that others experienced. He wasn't upset because he expected more of Naruto as a friend.

Besides, ninjas didn't need friends. But... but Aniki and Itachi nii-san were friends, weren't they, and they had worked together really well. Plus, Itachi nii-san always seemed happier when Aniki was around, and if Sasuke remembered correctly from Aniki's stories, the mission the two did together-

But Sasuke could never think of Naruto like that, of course. Naruto wasn't Aniki, despite the blondness factor. Naruto would never be dependable enough to be a perfect partner during missions. He was loud, annoying, arrogant...

...dedicated, sneaky, creative.

Ugh! Sasuke slammed his door shut. He didn't come back here to have an argument about Naruto in his head! If he knew it was going to be like, Sasuke would have stayed outside, despite how uncomfortable sleeping in the woods was.

He quickly undressed, and pulled on his navy blue pyjamas. They had an Uchiha crest on the back of them, blazing red in the sea of blue. He had come back to sleep.

But when Sasuke fell into bed, he found that sleep escaped him. His tummy was rumbling ominously, and it was then that Sasuke realized that last time he had eaten was twelve o' clock earlier that day, and even that was just half a bowl of ramen. It had to have been at least thirty hours since Sasuke had a good meal. He was hungry.

It was that stupid Naruto's fault! If stupid Naruto hadn't made omusubi and chased Sasuke out of the kitchen, then Sasuke wouldn't be in this predicament! Grumbling, Sasuke got up from his bed, turning on his nightlight and looking over the side of his bed. He had snacks under there and-

All he saw was wrappers.

With a sinking feeling, Sasuke remembered that all-night espionage mission that he and Naruto had a few days ago. Sasuke had taken all his snacks out then, so that he wouldn't starve when spying out the Academy teachers. And he hadn't restocked yet.

He could have smacked himself for his stupidity. This was a mistake worthy of Naruto! One always had to have emergency rations! They even taught that at the stupid Academy!

His stomach rumbled.

There was no choice now. Sasuke turned off his light, and crawled back into bed. He'd just have to spend a night hungry. Sasuke closed his eyes, intent on sleeping, but his stomach churned in protest.

He couldn't do it! He couldn't sleep like this. He had to... he had to...

Sasuke thought of Naruto's omusubi, which had seemed heavenly before, but now seemed practically like a temptress. Well, they'd never be quite like Mother's, would they? With a groan, Sasuke sat up from his bed. He had to have some.

As Sasuke slowly made his way to his door, he tried to rationalize what he was doing. Well, what time was it anyway? The idiot was probably asleep by now, and Naruto would never know. Besides, even if the idiot suspected, Sasuke could always deny it. Naruto would have no proof that Sasuke gave into his desires and ate the omusubi.

Sasuke nodded to himself as he opened his bedroom door and made his way towards the kitchen. His explanation made sense. Yeah, it'd be fine. Definitely.

He found the kitchen just as he'd expected it- empty. Thankfully, the omusubi was still there. Sasuke glanced at Naruto's door, and let out a sigh that he hadn't known he was holding. It was closed.

Shaking his head, Sasuke sat down at the table, and started on the plate of omusubi. It wasn't exactly as good as his mother had made it, or even the brown haired woman who Sasuke dimly remembered. But, it was alright nonetheless, and it filled Sasuke's stomach. Plus, it was omusubi; no matter how badly it was made, Sasuke wouldn't refuse it.

He finished half a plateful within seconds.

He wanted to eat more, but Sasuke thought that if he finished the whole plate even Naruto would suspect something. Well, that was fine. Sasuke was pretty full anyway; he'd be able to survive the night now.

He got up from the table... then glanced at the omusubi. It was made with okaka and tomatoes, just as Sasuke liked it. Sasuke shook his head. Honestly, what was Naruto thinking? Tomatoes went bad really easily, and Naruto had left it outside. The idiot really didn't know anything about food.

Sighing, Sasuke picked up the plate and went to the fridge. Immediately, yellow luminescent light illuminated the room, and Sasuke had to blink for a few moments to get used to the light from the fridge. He put the omusubi in the large white box, and closed the fridge door. The room flushed back into darkness.

Sasuke turned away, intent on getting back to his room, but a soft click stopped him. The balcony door. Letting out a small, unsure breath, Sasuke turned around, meeting the deep blue eyes of Naruto Uzumaki.

He was standing right in front of the balcony door, his right hand still on the doorknob. He looked stunned, as far as Sasuke could tell, though the dark haired boy had to admit it was hard to distinguish emotions with only the moonlight.

"You-" Naruto began, "I was just outside, and then I saw a flicker of light coming from in here. I thought- you were-" Then, his voice turned accusing, "You ate my omusubi didn't you?"

"It wasn't yours," Sasuke replied automatically, before his mind was even able to catch up with him. The banter with Naruto was familiar, and he had missed it. "You said you made it for me."

"Well yeah, but you refused it!"

"No I didn't, I said I was leaving." Sasuke corrected.

"Psht! Well, same thing! Ugh, you are so infuriating!"

"Not half as infuriating as you are."

"Yeah right, you're- heh, I guess I am pretty infuriating, aren't I?" And Naruto sounded proud of that fact.

Sasuke sighed, smiling tiredly, "That's what the teachers at the Academy would say, yes."

Naruto practically giggled, "Yeah, do you remember that time when we put blue hair dye in Mada-sensei's shampoo? He wouldn't come to school for a week!"

Sasuke snorted, "How could I forget? But my personal favourite was still the 'Noodle Incident'."

"That was cruel," Naruto sniggered.

"Maybe," Sasuke smirked, "But he deserved it. Who did he think he was teaching anyway? Toddlers?"

Naruto laughed, long and loud. Then, he trailed off, looking uncertainly at Sasuke. "Friends again?"

Friends...? Someone who had the same interests as you, someone to spend your time with, someone to share laughs with? But, there was more than that. Sasuke thought of Edward Elric and Itachi Uchiha, thought of the people he had encountered in his travels around the world. Friends were something more than just laughing buddies. They were someone you could depend on, someone who you could rely on in your moments of weakness, someone who understood you...

Friends again?

Sasuke hesitated, then shook his head.

Naruto's face fell.

Sasuke shook his head, his voice exasperated and maybe even slightly amused. "_Please_. And you said you knew me. We... were never _not_ friends."

* * *

Hiruzen Sarutobi was, once again, doing his paperwork. Scritch, scratch went the sound of his quill, zig-zagging across the numerous sheets. Yes, he was making inane comments, but it was ht paperwork that was driving him crazy!

Honestly, if he knew there was so much paperwork involved in the Hokage position, he would never have taken it!

Just then, he felt something at the edge of his senses. A loud set of footsteps that wasn't supposed to be there, the heavy scent of ramen wafting ever closer...

Hiruzen blinked, and then a faint smile spread across his face. He placed the quill back into the inkpot, and shifted the white papers around him so that his view of the office door wasn't obstructed. As soon as he was done, the door flew open, and Hiruzen had to fight down a grin. After all, it wouldn't look professional of him to welcome the distraction, would it?

The age old Hokage frowned at the intruder, steeping his fingers together and looking very stately indeed. "Naruto, why have you come here?"

"Gramps!" Naruto cried, racing up to the Hokage's desk and launching himself at the Sandaime. The blond wrapped his arms around the Hokage in a stranglehold, and Hiruzen inwardly mused that this would be a very easy way to assassinate an unsuspecting Hokage.

"Gramps..." Naruto's tone turned more whinny, and Hiruzen was put instantly on his guard. Nothing good came out of that tone. Nothing. Last time, Naruto had somehow convinced Hiruzen to pay for his ramen meal ticket, and that had drained Hiruzen's finances for a week. And he was the Hokage! Hiruzen's theory was instantly confirmed when Naruto looked up, his eyes wide with his signature puppy-dog stare.

Hiruzen struggled, and failed. He sighed. Naruto's puppy-dog stare should be a S-rank jutsu, seriously. It was undefeatable. "Alright Naruto, what do you want?"

"Well..." Naruto shifted, letting go of Hiruzen and sitting on the edge of his desk. Hiruzen glared, and with an awkward laugh Naruto scooted backward- and _crash_, Naruto fell off. Hiruzen put his hand to his head and sighed; at least nothing was boring with Naruto. Still, sometimes Hiruzen wondered if Naruto's quirks couldn't sometimes be attributed to the number of times he fell on his head.

But no... Kushina had been like this too. Honestly, though Naruto was the splitting image of his father, his personality seemed to be inherited solely from Kushina Uzumaki.

Naruto jumped right back up, grinning at the Hokage and looking none the worse for wear. "So... Gramps... you're the Hokage, right?"

Hiruzen instantly turned wary. Buying ramen did not require any specific profession, especially not one which controlled the military force of Fire Country. "Yes...?"

"WELL, then you must know a lot of people, right."

"Yes..."

"_So_... you should know some sealing expert, right?"

...huh? "_Huh_?"

"I mean, you're the Hokage and all, so you must meet lots of people everyday right? That means that you must know at least one person who knows how to seal, right? So, if you don't mind, could you please tell me the name and address of that person, so I could go bug them? Please, please, please, please, please!"

...Hiruzen still wasn't quite over his shock yet. But, his trusty old brain did most of the work for him, and quickly deduced what this was all about. Really, he shouldn't have been surprised, considering Naruto's heritage. Still, the blond himself didn't know about Minato, so how in the world did Naruto stumble across Sealing?

Just then, a horrifying thought hit him. Could it be- the Kyuubi?

But no, if it were the Kyuubi that Naruto had discovered, there would be a rain of questions directed at him, not this subtle way of learning sealing first. Naruto was not a good liar and a very curious person, a combination which ensured that Naruto's sudden thirst for knowing how to seal was sincere and not faked.

Was it just perhaps... fate?

Looking at Naruto's determined eyes and innocent face, Hiruzen couldn't help but be reminded of another blond. A blond who also had an interest in sealing, a blond who also downplayed the situations he was in. A blond whom Hiruzen himself had respected, trusted with protecting the village which he loved above all else.

Naruto was something that went beyond Minato of course, with a completely different personality and charm, but at times like these Hiruzen couldn't help but be reminded of Naruto's late father. And now, sealing... could this be fate?

Hiruzen shook his head, trying to clear it. Now was not the time to have an inner monologue about the complexities of the world.

"Aw what the heck, even the Hokage doesn't know anyone who knows how to seal? Is it that hard, I mean-"

"No Naruto, that's not what I meant." Hiruzen cut in, before Naruto could go into another of his tirades. "I just... when did you develop an interest in sealing?"

He could even feel a headache coming on. If Naruto was in any way as talented in sealing as his parents, Konoha would never have any peace and quiet. Hiruzen could already see all the pranks that sealing could be used for, and that was just Hiruzen. Who knew what Naruto could come up with!

"Um..."

Hiruzen narrowed his eyes at the blond's slightly guilty expression. There was a story here, and he didn't know about it. It was his duty as the Hokage to know every story that went around Konoha! Hiruzen coughed, bringing out his most authoritative and stern voice- well, most stern voice for children, anyhow.

"Naruto..." Hiruzen warned.

"Well..." Naruto took a deep breath, " ."

...

"What? Naruto, could you please repeat that? I can't quite understand gibberish."

"I- I kinda made a bet..."

And then, Naruto took Hiruzen the whole sodden story, ending with- "And it's been six days already. I've been trying to figure out sealing, but I can't make head or tails of it! That's why I came to you Gramps- you must know _someone_ who knows about it, right?"

Someone indeed. Hiruzen sighed, and rubbed his temples. "Naruto... how do you get yourself into these situations?"

Naruto pouted, "It's not like I _try_- well, okay, maybe I overestimated myself a little this time, but Gramps! The past is the past, what we've got to worry about is the present!"

"That's... surprising mature of you."

Naruto gave his eighty wattage smile, "Read it from a book. It's awesome, isn't it? Some books have some really useful phrases, like-"

"Nonetheless," Hiruzen cut in sharply, not exactly wanting to hear what exactly the Prankster of Konoha had learned from books. He knew it was going to give him yet another headache. Why was it always a choice between boredom and a headache? Why? Why couldn't it ever be a choice between no boredom and no headache? Really, it wasn't fair. "If you don't learn from the past, I'm afraid that there won't be much of a present for you."

Naruto frowned, "Man, that's gloomy Gramps. Lighten up a little."

Hiruzen slapped his forehead, "Naruto, I thought with your title of Hokage on the line, you'd be serious but-"

"I know." Naruto suddenly interrupted, and his tone was serious indeed. "I know that this isn't just some joke. I know that you can't just cancel this bet either. If I don't come through, no ninja's gonna respect me because they'll think I can't keep my promises. I know I _have_ to learn sealing."

Hiruzen blinked, surprised. Naruto _had_ matured. He smiled softly; he knew Edward would be a good influence on the blond. "Very well, I shall teach you sealing."

Of course, he could have dedicated any number of other ninja to the job. After all, he was the Hokage. However, the council would have seen it as blantant favouritism, and to be honest Hiruzen did not trust any other ninja to sincerely teach Naruto. Plus... might it be selfish to say that he wanted to train the future Hokage this time, rather than let his student do it?

"Really? Great, thanks Gramps, I knew I could- eh? _You'll_ teach me sealing?"

Hiruzen frowned lightly, narrowing his eyes at the blond. He knew Naruto didn't think much of his ninja skills –he had tried to keep it that way after all- but seriously, this was too much!

"Yes," Hiruzen said testily, "I am one the Hokage. Of course I know how to seal."

Naruto eyed Hiruzen warily, then, his face split into a wide grin.

Hiruzen smiled. It was nice to see that the boy trusted him so-

"This is great! If even _you_ can learn sealing, that must mean that I can get it in no time, right?"

In the end, it took Naruto nine months.

* * *

Tsunade crossed his arms, looking critically at the boy in front of her. He had made prodigal progress over the past two years; eating up the texts she gave him like they were candy and easily coming to all the conclusions she wanted him to. He wasn't like Shizune, who although was the world to Tsunade, was suited to be an assistant. He was a true genius at medicine.

Edward shifted nervously, probably having figured that her stares never meant anything good. Hmpht, ungrateful brat.

Uncrossing her arms, Tsunade smiled, and drew Edward into a hug. Edward sucked in breath as his face was buried in her chest, and awkwardly hugged her back. Finally, she let him go, smile growing wider at the lovely shade of red he was turning.

"You could have killed me you know," Edward complained, rubbing his sides.

"Then you wouldn't have been my apprentice." Tsunade answered with a grin, "You should know by now how to channel your chakra through your body so that you won't be affected by my 'strength'. Edward, I'm going to miss you."

And she was. He had been a blessing to have around for the past two years, and he had cleared a lot of their debts with the luck hands he drew at poker. Tsunade had a suspicion that he cheated somehow, but hey she wouldn't accuse as long as the money was rolling in.

Edward blushed a deeper shade of red. Aw, how cute.

"You'd better become the head of the surgical wing at Konoha's hospital," Tsunade continued, ruffling his hair, "I'd hate to see all that talent go to waste."

Like any other medical ninja, Edward did have his specialty too. Medical ninjutsu wasn't just as simple as 'healing someone'; there were branches and specialties just like any other technique. Of course, Tsunade herself now was well balanced in all branches, but that was after decades of practice. Edward right now, while very good at poisons, chakra control, etc, had taken like a fish to water in surgery. Unlike the other branches of medical ninjutsu, surgery had no previous battle application, however...

"And don't use your special taijutsu if you can avoid it," Tsunade added for good measure. It was an amazing technique that Edward had created, and what he spent most of his two years doing. It was a scary technique. When Tsunade had first seen it, she had gotten shivers from its potential, its implications. It could change the ninja world. "And do _not_ let anyone steal it."

"I know, I know," Edward muttered, "I created it only for missing nins, remember? Besides, even if someone stole the technique they'd need my skills to use it, right? Am I good to go, mother?"

He got a bonk on the head for that.

Edward winced, but he didn't utter a sound. Instead, he just made this sullen, pouty face, that clearly indicated that his head hurt but he was 'too man' to admit it. Shizune had once commented that it was the most adorable look in the world.

Tsunade sniffed; she would really miss the kid. "Must you go back?"

"Yes," Edward got an all too familiar glint in his eyes, the same glint he had gotten when he was questioned about whether he had ever killed anyone and then he thought up of that world-changing technique, "Now that I have enough power to... there's something I need to do back in Konoha."

"Ah yes," She muttered knowingly, "That 'something'."

That something which he had confessed to her a year and a half after becoming her apprentice. By then, it was too late to stop teaching him, as he'd already pretty much learned everything and just stuck around for more practice and tips on how to perfect his taijutsu. Somehow, the boy had gotten the delusion that learning how to fight with medical jutsus would help him on his stupid quest.

She'd tried to talk him out of it; they'd argued for hours. But, if it was one thing the apprentice was already better than the master at, it was stubbornness. In the end, he had convinced her, with a few hurtful but honest words about her brother and lover. They hadn't talked for a month after that.

Finally, Tsunade realized how stupid she was being, but she knew she was partially right. However, that was something Edward would have to discover for himself.

She ruffled his hair for the last time, "Just... don't get killed."

* * *

A/n: FYI, Naruto took nine months to master the BASICS. He's still got a long way until mastery. BUT, nine months to get the basics of sealing is still pretty impressive.

Wow, the sealing thing has gone on for far more time than I intended to. Sorry if it bored you, but I felt antsy leaving out any parts... so I added in a whole lot more than I originally planned to add. By the way, as you've all figured out by now, although this main characters thing says 'Edward&Itachi', really the main characters should be Edward, Itachi, Sasuke, and Naruto. Unfortunately, they only give you two spaces, so I had to go with the two more predominant characters. If you hate Sasuke and Naruto, you should probably come back in Arc 3, because Arc 2's focus will be on those two (along with Edward of course).

Edward wasn't really in this chapter at all, but don't worry, the next chapter's all his!

p.s. I'm a little unsatisfied with Naruto's and Sasuke's reconciliation- I wrote it before I had the actual Uchiha Residence idea, so now Sasuke's thoughts don't seem to flow. Any suggestions?


	14. IV

FYI, Mrs/Mr roughly (and I mean roughly) translates to '-san'. I usually use the Japanese suffixes, because their true meanings can't really be carried over to English, but I thought it'd be more appropriate to use the English variations this time.

Chapter 4- A Dangerous Endeavour 

Edward drew in a deep breath, and looked at the house in front of him. It was large and yellow, with an amazing garden in the front and a small silver gate before it. All his research had shown that this was it. If there was anyone who would know about the events of three years ago, it would be the inhabitant of this house.

Inoichi Yamanaka.

Edward had come back to Konoha three days ago, and the greeting he had gotten had stunned him. Sasuke and Naruto both had practically burst into tears (though of course Sasuke denied it afterwards). They'd jumped on him, buried him with excited questions and stories, and even tried to kill him! Tried being the relative word of course- Edward knew they couldn't actually even get close to injuring him.

They weren't distant at all, surprisingly, but then Edward supposed that it was because they were children, and as children they did not feel the awkwardness that often arose from long separation. He hadn't visited them once during his two year training with Tsunade, but they didn't seem to blame him for it at all (expect for the one time they attempted to kill him of course).

And they'd become closer, as Edward had hoped. Originally, Edward had been a little worried about how closed off Sasuke was to everyone in Konoha, but after two years the dark haired boy seemed much more even tempered. Edward wondered if it was Naruto's influence. He wouldn't be surprised. The Kyuubi container was surprising, to say in the least.

Now, watching them, Edward couldn't help but be reminded painfully of him and Al, though there was a huge difference in how those two reacted of course. Actually, if Edward were to analyze how Naruto and Sasuke treated eachother, he'd have to say that it reflected more so of Edward's relationship with Itachi. But the sincerity was one that was truly between brothers.

And just as Edward had hoped, Sasuke's techniques had improved by leaps and bounds, accelerated by the presence of a rival. Naruto had even picked up sealing, which Edward had always found fascinating but was too wary of the consequences to learn for himself. Truly, the two did much better in the two years they spent by themselves than the one year Edward had with Sasuke.

But the year with Sasuke was needed. It was needed for Sasuke to get away from Konoha for a bit, just as it was needed for Edward to conduct his research outside of the leaf village's confining walls. Edward had not been competent enough, not powerful enough, to contradict Konoha. He had a feeling that the Itachi mystery was related to someone of high status, and only now was Edward confident that he could find the secret and get away safely.

So, he was here, standing in front of the Yamanaka household- the household he was sure held answers. He took another deep breath, and walked past the gate. When he got to the door, Edward only hesitated for a split second, before he knocked.

The door opened a moment later, revealing a blond haired woman with a kind expression on her face.

"Oh!" For a moment, she looked surprised, "How can I help you, Mr…?"

"Edward Elric," Edward replied modestly, "Um… please don't call me Mister, ma'am. I'm much younger than you, and I'd feel odd."

A small, tinkering laugh met his response, and Mrs. Yamanaka genuinely smiled, "You're rather cute. If you don't want me to call you mister, I'll oblige, but don't call me ma'am either, alright? It makes me feel old. Call me Hiromi."

Edward felt his face heat up. This wasn't what he was expecting when he first came to this door. Edward coughed in his hand, "Yes ma'am- Ms. Hiromi. Is… is your husband home?"

"Such a polite boy," Mrs. Yamanaka's eyes were twinkling with amusement, "If only my Ino were so thoughtful. Yes in fact, my husband is home. Come in, and I'll call him for you."

Edward thanked her, and entered the house. It was even more gorgeous from the inside. Light streamed in from the paper walls, making the living room brighter than any artificial light could recreate. It had a nice, roomy feel to it that made Edward wonder if he shouldn't move out of his apartment and get an actual house. It would be better for Naruto and Sasuke certainly, and Edward was sure he'd soon earn the funds. It was an idea he'd have to seriously consider later.

Mrs. Yamanaka did indeed go to call her husband, and a moment later she returned with another man in tow. The man was also blond, but unlike his willowy wife he was stocky and had a hard look in his eyes. It softened whenever he gazed upon his wife, but the sharpness in which he looked at Edward gave the sixteen year old the sneaking suspicion that the man had seen through him.

"Shall we go to the study?" Inoichi rumbled, his voice the sound of crushed gravel.

"Dear, be nice," Mrs. Yamanaka teased, poking her husband in the chest and then turning to Edward with a wink, "Don't worry, he's nicer than he looks. He's not nearly as scary as you might think."

"We shall see," Inoichi grumbled, turning heel and heading towards some part of the house. Edward supposed he was supposed to follow the man.

"I'm sorry," Mrs. Yamanaka said with a frown as she watched her husband go, "I honestly don't know what's gotten into him today."

"It's fine," Edward said tensely.

Mrs. Yamanaka looked at him, really _looked_ at him, and a suspicious glint entered her eyes. Before she could say anything though, Inoichi called out, his voice coming from a few rooms away, "Are you coming boy?"

Edward gave one last nod towards the mother of the house, and raced towards the direction of the voice. Inoichi was indeed inside a room that appeared to be a study- or at least, it had enough books in it to look the part. The room was small and a little confining, and it set Edward on edge, but he just brushed that off as his natural tendencies to avoid enclosed areas.

He also noticed that the walls were made of a different material than the rest of the house, so that voices couldn't be overheard through the next room. If this was a study, it was meant to help with complete concentration once the door was closed, with no chance of disturbance. Even if someone was being murdered in the next room, Edward doubted they'd be able to hear it.

Inoichi was sitting on the only chair in the room, his back to the wall and a desk in front of him. He gestured towards the wall opposite him, which was coincidently where Edward was standing, "Close the door."

Or maybe, it wasn't such a coincidence. There were literally no openings to attack Inoichi should there ever be the need, but Edward was a sitting duck. Or rather, a standing duck. He knew that if Inoichi had hidden secret weapons underneath the desk, or decided to attack Edward while the boy's back was turned closing the door, Edward was doomed- or at the very least, at a huge disadvantage. It wasn't really that Edward thought these things would happen, but his mind couldn't help but come up with the scenarios. After travelling for a year throughout the ninja world, Edward had come by every trick in the book. Plus, the time fighting homunculus in Amestris had taught him a lot about deception. Added to that, Inoichi had been an accredited ninja, and Edward hadn't exactly come into this house expecting nothing.

But Edward had always been reckless, and somehow he didn't think that Inoichi would attack him. Most likely, this setup was only for psychological unsettlement- something Inoichi Yamanaka was known for. Besides, Edward was confident of his abilities, and his capabilities to get out of any obstacle that was thrown at him. So, he closed the door.

Instantly, Inoichi's eyes sharpened, if that were even possible. "What are you doing here? My wife is just a civilian and she might not be able to tell, but I can see you're an experienced ninja. The leaf forehead protector on your belt indicates that you're a Konoha ninja but I've never heard of you, and your movements suggest that you're jounin level but not ANBU."

Edward whistled, impressed. "I came here... because I wanted to see the previous Head of Torture and Investigation."

There, straight to the point. For a moment Edward wondered if it was wise, but Inoichi seemed to be a man who didn't like to dance around the issue and Edward himself wasn't exactly known for his subtly.

Inoichi didn't even blink, though Edward thought for sure he would be at least surprised. Instead, the older blond searched Edward's eyes for a long time, as if trying to see his very soul. Edward shifted, uncomfortable with the stare, but knowing that it had to be done. Finally, Inoichi lifted his gaze- or at the very least, focused on something other than Edward's eyes, "How did you come by those files? The fact that I was the previous Head is known by few, and nowadays even fewer can find that information."

"You could say I'm-" Aw what the heck, Inoichi would probably find out anyway. Besides, it wasn't as if Edward's position was a secret. "-I'm a special jounin, who specializes in research. So, there's a lot of information available to me that even ANBU captains aren't cleared to get."

Inoichi's lips twitched, "Abusing your power, aren't you?"

Edward smiled guilty.

Inoichi shook his head, "Well then, are you satisfied with what you see?"

"Yeah." And no. The older blond was impossible to read, which would make it difficult for Edward if he had to discern truth from lies. Oh well.

"Good." Inoichi nodded stiffly, "Then let's get out of this stuffy little hole. My wife is probably preparing some dinner- she likes you, and I do too. Stay."

That said, the previous Head of Torture and Investigation made a move to get up.

"Wait!" Edward exclaimed, and the older blond sat back down. "Actually, I wanted to ask some questions too."

The middle aged man blinked, then gave a sigh. He shook his head, muttering. "I should have known that it wouldn't be as simple as that. Nobody visits me anymore because they'd just like to see their idol, huh?"

Edward shifted guiltily, but this was too important for him to put it off.

Inoichi leant forwards, steeping his fingers together across the table, "I'd like to help you, I really would, but if you've really researched me then you should know that I've given up my position for a reason. I won't do anything related to that again."

What? Edward furrowed his brows. That couldn't be right. If he remembered correctly, Inoichi had retired eleven years ago, but he had come back to the field at least once. If… if Inoichi really didn't want anything to do with his previous position… "But three years ago-"

"Because the Hokage asked," Inoichi said in a stern voice, interrupting Edward but making it seem as if Edward was the one who interrupted him. "Hm, so you know about that too, huh? Well I, like any other ninja, cannot refuse my Hokage. But the Sandaime does not ask unless it is vitally important, and only then can I make an exception. If the Hokage needed my help, he would have come personally, so don't bother saying you're here on the Hokage's business."

"I would never drag down the Sandaime's name," Edward said, affronted. Besides, it was way too easy to check. "But Mr. Yamanaka please, I just want to ask some questions. I won't even ask you to do anything, really."

"That's what they all say," Inoichi said tiredly, "But what they don't see is that it all starts as questions, then slowly builds up to favours, and before you know it you'll be back in the place you wanted to avoid."

"Really!" Edward said seriously, "I won't ask you to do anything more than answer a few of my questions. I'll swear on anything."

"I don't doubt that you'll keep your word Mr. Elric, but please try to see things from my point of view. If I let you ask a few questions, wouldn't it be unfair for me to refuse others? Even if you keep your word, would everyone else?"

Edward opened his mouth, and hesitated. He wanted to say that nobody would ever have to know that Inoichi answered a few of his questions, and that Edward knew how to be discreet, but something about that scenario tugged at Edward's mind. It wasn't in his character to purposefully keep secrets, and though he might not want to tell some people things, he had never been the one to initiate it. All secrets had been made because of necessity, and Edward was loath to have them.

Besides, even if no one else knew, Inoichi would know that he had given into someone after all these years. Inoichi would know that he was being unfair. Could Edward really demand that of him?

The golden eyed boy smiled bitterly, "Alright then, I understand."

Weeks wasted- but at least, not completely. Edward had spent weeks trying to find out who had a connection to the Uchiha Massacre, and Inoichi Yamanaka had simply been the first on the list. The other research Edward had done wasn't invalid. There were still others Edward could visit.

He turned towards the door.

"Wait."

Now it was Edward's turn to find out that the conversation wasn't apparently over. Blinking, Edward turned back around, the question clear on his face.

"You really are planning on leaving just like that, aren't you?" Inoichi asked, his voice wondering. "After you did all that research to find out who would actually know the answers to your questions, and then to actually come find me."

"There's no way to convince you, there's no help for it."

Inoichi let out a dry laugh, "You decided that after ten minutes? You're not very persistent are you?"

Edward felt a spark of anger ignite inside him. And here he was thinking the old ninja was actually very nice! "You're not the only one who can judge someone with a glance. I know it'd bring a lot of trouble for you if I kept pressuring you, and in the end it wouldn't even do me any good, would it? The only ways I can think of to force you to help me would bring both you and me a lot of grief. I do have other ways of finding the information I want you know!"

Inoichi huffed, crossing his arms. "But your 'other ways' would take a lot longer, right? That's why you came to me first, despite knowing that I probably retired for a reason."

"So what?" Great, now he was getting all defensive. Well, there wasn't much help for it. Edward didn't particularly see the point in being calm at this point.

The older man chuckled, his Adam's apple bobbing up and down as he wheezed in genuine mirth. "So I suppose I'll have to answer a few of your questions, or else my conscious won't leave me be. After all, this young man came all this way, and if I don't even listen to him, won't I be the world's meanest man?"

Edward opened his mouth, then closed it, and then it just opened again all by itself. Edward stood with his mouth agape, staring at the laughing man incredulously. Was he serious? Then all this time...!

"Hey, hey, don't get angry." Inoichi said as he caught onto Edward's mood, "I wasn't playing you. You simply jumped to your own conclusions. Let me guess; you're considered a genius, right?"

Mutely, Edward nodded.

Inoichi's good humour suddenly disappeared completely, vanishing as if they had never been there. He was completely serious. "Well then, listen close. I know that geniuses have a tendency to underestimate us ordinary people, but please remember that we can be surprising too. I know, I know, you don't mean to of course, but I think it's a thought process that's just formed subconsciously. Even the Sandaime does this sometimes.

"Normally, this type of subconscious thinking is fine, so long as you don't act arrogantly. Nobody can tell the difference really, but there is one. Since I've been studying body language all my life, I can tell- but rest assured, most people can't. Normally, nobody would ever think you're looking down at them. The fact is though, you are. Only ever so slightly, and not enough to be noticeable, but dangerous when you're a ninja.

"Take my warning to heart little newbie. If you don't view everyone as a tough opponent, you'll find yourself in a sticky situation one day."

There was a time when Edward would have scoffed at this, but that was before Konoha and before the Homunculus. Instead, he simply nodded, trying to absorb all of it and soak it all in. It was probably good advice.

Inoichi sat back, smiling again. "Alright, good. So, what was it that you wanted to ask me about?"

Finally. Edward took a breath, "Actually, I've mentioned this before. I wanted to ask you about... the events of three years ago. The Uchiha Massacre."

This was apparently, completely unexpected by Inoichi. His smile vanished, and his back stiffened. It was only for an instant, but an instant was all Edward needed to catch it. Inoichi immediately went back to looking relaxed, but Edward already knew that something was not right.

And Inoichi seemed to know it as well. He shook his head, giving a small laugh, though this time it was more sour than amused. "Damn geniuses. I suppose there's no point in pretending that nothing's wrong, is there?"

As soon as he finished those words, the tenseness entered his eyes again, almost as if they had never left. Inoichi gazed calmly at Edward, his eyes serious, "I hope that you realize what a sensitive subject the Uchiha Massacre is. If this is to satisfy some curiosity-"

"It's nothing like that," Edward interrupted before Inoichi could convince himself that Edward was a total trout. "It's... personal."

"Personal," Inoichi muttered, "Even worse. Alright, let's hear your reason."

"My best friend... was an Uchiha."

For a moment Inoichi was silent, but then he finally nodded. "Very well then. The public heard that a terrible freak accident occurred near the Uchiha District, thereby wiping them all out bar one. However, the truth is that one of the Uchiha went insane- completely wiped out his own clan. Under the cover of night ANBU Captain Itachi Uchiha murdered every single member of the Uchiha clan expect for his brother, and from Sasuke Uchiha's testament we can determine that Itachi Uchiha did it in able to 'test his capacity'."

Edward's lips twisted into a grim smile. If he wasn't who he was he would have believed Inoichi and left it at that. The older blond was that good at lying. "I thought you said you were going to tell me the truth."

"That is the truth."

"Not all of it- or maybe, something only the ninjas were told. Something that could be true, but wasn't- like the public believing the Uchiha tragedy was caused by natural causes."

"There is no more to-"

"My best friend," Edward started again, and Inoichi immediately stopped talking, sensing that something was wrong. "_Was_ Itachi Uchiha."

There was a moment's of silence.

If it weren't for the fact that this subject was so close to Edward's heart and that he really could not find anything funny about it, he would have probably burst out laughing. Inoichi was completely and utterly stumped. The older man had probably never suspected that Itachi would have a best friend- especially one that was outside of the Uchiha clan.

And why should Inoichi suspect? The Yamanaka was after all, a retired ninja, and as such hadn't heard head or tails of ninja affairs in the past eleven years. Yes, Inoichi had been pulled in by the Hokage during the Uchiha Affair, but that was for one incident and it would have been impossible for Inoichi to gather _everything_ for the investigation.

Edward's relationship with Itachi hadn't been exactly public. After all, that would defeat the whole purpose of most of their joint missions- espionage. Not only that, but Edward himself hadn't been very public. Only a few people knew of his existence as a ninja. If anyone connected Edward to the massacre he'd be very surprised. Besides, Edward had a feeling that the Sandaime had been trying to leave him out of it, especially with Edward's sudden request for a year's leave.

Finally, Inoichi spoke again, his voice coming out as calm as ever. "Ah. So that is why you are so interested in this topic. Why did you wait three years?"

"Sasuke," Edward replied immediately, "At first, I needed to keep Sasuke out of danger. But then, when we travelled around the world, I realized that compared to most ninjas I... I didn't compare at all. I needed time to build up my skills, so that if the time came for confrontation I would be ready for it."

"And you think you are ready for it now?" Inoichi asked, his voice still that same, unnerving calm.

Edward shrugged, "Maybe not, but I'm getting impatient."

"You are not ready for it. You are still young; you do not know how high the sky is or how deep the sea. Perhaps if you give it ten more years you could challenge the powers that govern that of which you seek, but as of now it'd be best if you back down. You cannot hope to win."

Edward narrowed his eyes, "So you do know something about it."

"That isn't the point! The point is you should just give up!"

"I never give up."

"You don't know what you're getting yourself into."

"So I guess you won't help me?"

"To get yourself killed? No. I like you- I like your spunk, your character. It's hard to see that in good ninjas nowadays. I want you to stay for Konoha, to help protect it and to help it grow. You have a valuable life, and I don't want to see you throw it away carelessly."

"I would never throw away my life carelessly," He thought of the people who had sought to protect him. Thought of that day in the rain when he had first experienced true fear. Thought of Scar standing over him with his arm of destruction held high. Thought of Al and his furious words... "Never."

Inoichi snorted, "You might think you're not kid, but trust me, you are."

"So you think of me as a kid after all." That was annoying, being called a child. He wasn't- hadn't been since he was eleven years old. Briefly Edward couldn't help but wonder if Itachi was with people who were just as ageist.

"Because you are one." Inoichi's eyes were hard, harder than stone. "You might think you're mature, but I can see in your eyes that you haven't killed yet- haven't become a murderer."

Edward's eye twitched, "What is it with this? How in the world does killing someone make you mature?"

Inoichi actually looked amused by this. "Killing someone is certainly not the only way to become mature. In fact, lots of kids kill and are still at heart, kids. But... this is the world of ninja, and killing is practically the initiation. If you don't like it, retire like I did. I find that this type of peaceful life actually suits me better- it'll probably suit you better too."

This was getting nowhere, and if Edward stayed then this conversation was going to end up like the one with Tsunade's. He turned towards the door, his voice clipped, "Thank you for your time Mr. Yamanaka. I'm afraid I must go now."

Inoichi sighed, "Boy, promise me that you won't continue this fruitless search. It'll take you places that you never expected to go."

Edward took a step, and placed his hand on the door handle, "What can I say, life's an adventure."

"I'm warning you, boy."

He twisted the knob. "I was never very good at listening to warnings."

"Edward..."

The golden eyed boy pushed open the door, walking with crisp steps towards the entrance of the house. He didn't want to hear the rest of it- he knew it'd be ineffective warnings that would only make the both of them miserable. "Goodbye Mr. Yamanaka."

Inoichi let out a long suffering sigh, his next words murmured so softly Edward wasn't sure if he didn't just imagine it. "No... I suppose _I_ can't stop you."

The next day, Edward was called to the Hokage's office.

* * *

Omake: Alternate version of Naruto learning seals

"Alright, I think we've finally done enough chakra exercises. What? Why're you guys giving me that dumbfounded look?"

Edward had taken his two charges to his regular training grounds, ready to surprise them with his new revelation. He didn't expect them to look at him in disbelief, though he had to admit the fish look was amusing. To be honest they weren't exactly perfect at chakra control, but they were close enough. They'd never be medics, but they could give a chuunin a run for his money. It really was time to move onto ninjutsus.

"I… I thought we'd never be done," Naruto said weakly, falling on his butt with a faint _plop_, "We've been doing nothing but chakra exercises for a month!"

Edward scowled, opening his mouth to say something but Sasuke quickly interrupted, "We know why they're important Aniki! You've pounded that lesson in our heads. But you've got to admit, chakra exercises are just a little bit boring, and we're nine year old boys."

"Right," Edward sighed. Well, he supposed he should have seen that coming. After all, he hadn't exactly been too thrilled to do exercises when he was first learning, either. But, it was vital to learning and successfully using ninjutsus. Thankfully for Edward, he was a natural at controlling chakra, hence why he was so successful at medical ninjutsu, but he supposed he could be a little more understanding of the boys. "Well anyway, we can move onto-"

Naruto suddenly jumped up excitedly, bouncing over to Edward and clutching onto his leg, "Can we learn that clappy thing?"

"Clappy… thing?"

"Yeah, yeah!" Naruto bobbed his head up and down, then clapped his hands together, "Like this! Then, you raise the earth or something! It's so cool! I want to learn it!"

Oh… alchemy. When had it been butchered to the level of 'clappy-thing'? Weakly, Edward shook his head, "I'm sorry, that's something… only I can do."

"So it's a bloodline limit?" Sasuke inquired curiously.

No, it wasn't. But if Edward denied it, how else would he explain it away? Alchemy required life essence itself to perform, and Edward just happened to have the life essence of half a country of people? Psht, that'd go over well. So, Edward simply nodded.

Naruto backed off, looking crestfallen, "Aw what the heck? Why are all the coolest things bloodline limits?"

"It's not the coolest thing," Edward interjected softly. No, it was just what he was used to. "I actually find my medical abilities of far more use. Hm… but if you guys want to learn something that's been so far unique to me so badly…"

Naruto perked up, and even Sasuke couldn't hide the excited gleam in his eyes.

"…how about my chakra-sensing abilities?"

Naruto blinked owlishly, "Chakra-sensing abilities?"

Oops, had he never told them? Well, the technical term for it was 'alkehestry', but they wouldn't know the relevance of that. Plus, it wasn't like he had ever mastered the whole thing before he'd been sucked away to this world; he'd only learned the basics. And of course, due to its similarity to alchemy, he'd only improved on the energy-sensing capabilities of alkehestry. In a world like this, it meant he could always sense it when ninja were around. "Yeah, didn't you guys ever wonder how I always knew when you were going to sneak attack?"

"I thought that was just your abilities as a ninja," Sasuke pointed out accusingly.

Edward shrugged, "It is. It's just that my abilities also comprise of 'chakra-sensing'. It's an extra edge in battle."

"And you're willing to teach it to us?" Naruto asked, wide eyed.

"Yeah…" Now Edward knew what Izumi must have felt like when she took them on as pupils. Really, despite himself, he wanted to teach everything he knew to these kids. He still didn't quite understand why, though. "It'll be like a clan technique. This way, you exactly be at a disadvantage because some of your peers learned special family techniques from their parents."

"Wow… I can't wait to show this to Sakura-chan! She'll be so impressed!"

"Idiot!" Sasuke shook his head at Naruto, but there was an excited gleam in his eyes, "Since this is like a clan technique, that means it'll be our extra edge. We aren't allowed to show others, right Aniki?"

Er… well actually, Edward didn't much care what they did with it. But if the look Sasuke was giving him was any indication, Edward knew he had to agree. "R-right. But um… you can tell people you can do it, just not _how_ to do it?"

Sasuke nodded at the answer, and Edward breathed a sigh of relief. Okay, good, he hadn't messed that up. Last time he had upset Sasuke, somehow all his shirts had turned pink. _All of them_. Even the black ones. He still hadn't figured out how the black haired Uchiha had done it. While Naruto may be creative in his pranks, Sasuke was way more efficient, and way more merciless about it.

And so, he slowly started vesting them in the arts of sensing chakra.

Sasuke seemed to get it right away, much like Edward had. After a few days, if Sasuke sat completely still and did nothing but concentrate, he could feel a little flicker of energy from Edward's direction. It was slow going, but very good progress. After all, it wasn't like alkehestry was something easy to learn.

Naruto on the other hand, was another story entirely.

"I can't do this anymore!" Naruto shouted, jumping up from his sitting position, and ignoring the slight glare the Uchiha sent him, "Edward nii-san! I'm just not getting it! I don't… I don't think I can learn our clan technique..."

Edward sighed, squatting down beside Naruto and trying to think of a way to help the upset blond. Edward had tried explaining chakra-sensing in every way to Naruto, but it seemed like the younger blond wasn't meant for it, just like he wasn't meant for medical jutsus. Well no, Edward was sure Naruto _could_ get it if he really put his mind to it, but then with Naruto's excellent sense of smell and hearing, it wouldn't be that necessary.

"It's not a clan technique," Edward explained slowly, "I said it's _like_ one, because it's so rare. Well at any rate, you don't have to learn it, especially since Sasuke is on his way to mastering it. Hey- don't give me that look! It's not a competition! Your sense of smell and hearing is better than Sasuke's, so you can detect enemies that way. Plenty of other jounin do. Really, it's better for you to compliment your partner's skills, not have the exact same."

Naruto looked on the verge of tears, and Sasuke looked rueful. No doubt, the Uchiha was upset that his best competition would be no competition for him in this new exercise. But, it was time that they started branching off anyway.

"Did you…" Edward sighed; he couldn't believe he was going to say this. But… but it was as if something compelled him, even if he knew this was a really bad idea, "Did you really want to learn my clappy-thing?"

"Yeah," Naruto sniffed, "It was way cool how you fixed this area in less than a second. But I thought you said it was your bloodline limit?"

"It is but… there is a skill very similar to it." It had sounded extremely interesting, but Edward couldn't look past the basics for fear of confusion. Learning alkehestry had been hard enough with all his preconceived notions of alchemy, and learning a third variation would be near impossible for him. All the blond jounin would end up doing if he'd learnt it seriously, was confuse himself when he needed to perform alchemy. If he imagined the circle even a little bit off from what it was supposed to look like, he could very well end up losing an arm again. "However, it requires extreme discipline to master."

"Eh?" The light reappeared in Naruto's eyes, "What is it?"

"The Art of Sealing."

* * *

A/n: Dun, dun, plot is picking up (sorta). As for the omake... well, I wrote it a long time ago, like it, but can't find a place to put it with all the changes I've made. (So in case you're wondering, it's not 'cannon' Never Let Go. If Naruto and Sasuke learn anything in the omakes, they'll probably learn it a different way in the actual story) Anyway... here it is! Actually, there's a lot of scenes I have to redo, but would you guys like to see the old ones?


	15. V

Chapter 5- Existence

_**16 October 07:30, Hokage's Office**_

"Edward, how are you?"

The Sandaime looked as pleasant as always, kindly in his large pointed hat and long robes. Sitting in front of the old man, Edward could almost imagine that he wasn't here because he'd done something he shouldn't, could almost image that he was called here because the Sandaime simply wanted to speak to him.

But he knew it wasn't the case. After all, it would be too much of a coincidence. Inoichi had told, and the Hokage had decided to listen.

That meant of course, that this was something serious.

He had gathered that much from his venture into the Yamanaka's residence last night. Inoichi had known something, and had chosen not to share it. If Inoichi hadn't known anything at all, Edward would have been satisfied with that and left to pursue other paths, but as it was... "You're hiding something from me."

Straight and to the point.

The Sandaime sighed, seeming to also come to that conclusion. The look he gave Edward was semi-amused, semi-exasperated. "I should have known. You never did like dancing around subjects. Very well, I called you here today because of your visit last night to Inochi."

"What about it? As far as I know, none of what I did was illegal."

The Sandaime's lips quirked, "Other than your abuse of power you mean?"

Edward blushed faintly, but didn't back down. "I was sure you knew about that." _You are the Hokage after all. _"Just like you apparently knew other things." _Things that you didn't tell me._

The Hokage seemed to be able to read between the lines. The light in his eyes dimmed. He sighed, steeping his fingers together and bowing his head, looking very old indeed in that one moment. "Edward... you must understand. The Hokage of Konoha has many things to consider, sadly more things than the feelings of one Special Jounin."

"So you're blaming this on some political backlash?"

The Hokage smiled weakly, "You make it sound as if I'm just using a scapegoat. Surely Edward, you of all people understand the situation I'm in?"

Edward looked down, his fists tightening on his lap. He _did_ understand. He wasn't incapable of seeing another's point of view. Still... "Then you also know that I would have been discrete, I would have kept whatever you knew a complete secret."

"Even so... can you deny that you would have fully investigated the matter if you felt all the details I gave you weren't sufficient? Can you deny that you would have possibly put yourself and in conjunction me in danger? You would have gone ahead without heeding the consequences Edward, if you felt you had a just cause."

"So is this something that would _warrant_ a just cause?"

The Hokage sighed, "You are not getting my point."

"I _am_ getting your point, and I think you know mine too. So, I can't help but be suspicious of why exactly you're hiding information about Itachi from me."

The Sandaime smiled sadly, "Ah... one of the few people I completely trust now does not trust me."

Completely... trust? It was true, the Sandaime had always put a lot of trust in him. When Edward had first arrived in the village, Hiruzen Sarutobi had offered Edward his complete sanction and protection, despite the circumstances at the time. It hadn't been until Edward had become a ninja that he'd realized how great a leap of faith the Hokage was taking.

Perhaps, perhaps Edward should leave it here. Leave the topic before they both got hurt.

That was, until he remembered the dark eyed, sorrowful gaze of the one whom he had sworn not to abandon. Edward set his mouth, looking steadily into the Hokage's wise old eyes, "If you really trust me, then why won't you tell me about Itachi?"

Something flashed in the Sandaime's eyes, something so subtle that Edward was sure he would have missed it if he weren't starting directly in them. Reminiscence, guilt, wariness, shame?

And then, one of Edward's odd insights hit him.

It was like a dam had been opened, and his brain was flooded with the information. Picture, words, memories flashed through his mind, too quickly for Edward to truly scrutinize them. It was as if everything were falling in place, the pieces of the puzzle finally knitting themselves together in one, horrifying picture.

"It was Konoha wasn't it?" Edward whispered in horror, "Konoha was the reason that Itachi betrayed his clan. That's why Itachi acted withdrawn for weeks before the massacre happened, because he was trying to distance himself from it. That's why Itachi wouldn't tell me anything, because I couldn't know. That's why he was being so disrespectful to his family, because he wanted to make them _see_. That's why I had that mission... so I wouldn't interfere."

The Sandaime could only look away guiltily, and Edward knew he had his answer. Perhaps, perhaps if the Hokage had refuted his wild speculation, Edward could have laughed it off as 'one of those moments', but the Sandaime's silence condemned him.

Maybe it was because he was guilty, maybe it was because he was tired of the charade, but it didn't matter anymore. Edward had had enough of this.

The blond stood up in one fluid motion, turning towards the door.

He stepped forwards, only to feel a whoosh of air behind him and a hand grasp his arm. Edward turned around, his eyes burning with barely compressed anger, "Let me go."

At this moment, he didn't care if he was talking to the Hokage or a friend, he was much too irate. Tumults of emotions were jumbled within his stomach, only waiting for an excuse to get out. If it were just four years ago, Edward would have punched the man holding his arm, Hokage or no.

As it was, Edward managed to just keep his temper. After all, he was refusing to let his emotions rush into his head until after he left the Hokage's office. One of the training fields was due to be levelled.

"Edward," The Hokage's voice would have been commanding, but all it sounded like was old, "Please, let me explain. Before you think the worst of me or this village, let me explain everything."

He debated about it for an instant. He wasn't sure how much longer he could last like this. Betrayal, loneliness, sadness, anger all churned restlessly in his gut, and it was only through sheer force of will that Edward was keeping it all at bay. He wasn't letting it flood his mind, wasn't letting it gain control of him, but who knew how long that would last?

He only hesitated for the slightest moment, but it appeared to be enough for the Sandaime. The Sandaime let go of his arm, and with a huff Edward sat back down, glaring across the table, "This had better be good."

He could keep a tight rein on his emotions until the end. He was capable of that at least. He didn't know if he'd ever be able to hear the whole story if he didn't listen now, so no matter how Edward personally felt he _had_ to listen to the Hokage. For Itachi.

"Thank you," The Sandaime smiled, very weakly, and at Edward's glare even that smile dropped off, "Ah, but then I suppose you are hardly doing this for me. Very well, I shall start at the beginning.

"Eleven years ago, on October Tenth, a horrible demon attacked. You had not been there, so you couldn't have possibly known how devastating it was. Hundreds of people died, many good ninjas and many many civilians. The Yondaime himself- the most beloved and admired man of all- gave his live that night. Everyone mourned and cried; if they had not lost a relative or friend, they had lost possibly their very best leader.

"One only has to look at how young Naruto is treated really, to gauge the hatred towards the Nine Tailed Fox. It's been eleven years already, yet no one is willing to give Naruto a chance. They _still_ hate him, so imagine what it had been like in the aftermath of the Kyuubi.

"Our ninja wanted a scapegoat, a reason for why so many died. Natural disaster, they said, impossible. After all, why would one of the nine great demons randomly attack a ninja village? It made no sense.

"Added to that was the Uchiha's innate ability the Sharingan, which is said to be able to control even the Tailed Beasts. Naturally, suspicion fell onto the Uchiha, and the Uchiha clan resented it.

"You did not notice perhaps, because your relationship with the Uchiha were never advertised. Added to that, Itachi was a special case. The Uchiha clan withdrew even more from the rest of the world, disgusted at the fact that they were being blamed. The other clans of course took this as a sign of arrogance, cementing their hate all the more. Eventually, the Uchiha clan had enough of it, the suspicion and the hatred, and planned to end it once and for all.

"That was where Itachi arrived on the scene, joining ANBU and secretly becoming my double-agent. He was originally supposed to be the Uchiha clan's spy, you know. Anyhow, he revealed to me that the Uchiha clan were planning something big, something that we would have been completely blind to if not for his informing us. The Uchiha had had enough of following a government they didn't believe in, had enough of the disrespect. They planned a coup..."

Edward sucked in a breath, "No..."

"Yes." The Sandaime said sadly. "I tried everything in my power to negotiate with the Uchiha clan, but they would not hear my pleas. Eventually, I only had one option left. I could not allow for a civil war to happen, because that would weaken Konoha and allow other villages to invade, leading to a Forth Ninja War. I could not ask my ANBU to quietly finish the Uchiha clan because I did not know of a team with the ability, and if somehow the information leaked out, Konoha would be ruined. The only thing I could do...

"The only thing I could do was to ask Itachi to take care of the matter himself. If he did the assassinations, then he might succeed. Itachi is a talented individual, possibly one of the strongest ninja in Konoha. Added to that, his specialty was silent killing, which that assignment required. Also, the Uchiha clan themselves would not be expecting Itachi to murder them, so he would have the element of surprise. Finally, whatever Itachi did could be seen as Internal Affairs, which the Hokage is not supposed to interfere with. Yes, Itachi was the best man for the job..."

"You let- you forced-" Edward's voice wasn't working right. It was a burble of choked, haggard, and demanding all at once.

The Sandaime looked down, seemingly not able to meet Edward's gaze. "I... I had no other choice. Itachi himself agreed with the method. He loved Konoha above all else... he was truly one of the greatest ninja of this age."

"So you justify as- _he had to slaughter his whole family!_"

The Hokage's head, if possible, lowered even further. "It was for the good of the village."

Good of the village? Edward could see that, but- "Surely there were alternatives, other ways, there can't have been-"

The Hokage slammed his hand against the table, causing the stacks of paper resting on his desk to jump slightly. Edward stopped talking, suddenly wary. The Hokage finally looked up, his eyes burning with something Edward couldn't place. "Do you not think I've tried? I've looked up every alternative, every angle, and the path that I chose was the only possible one with the time constraint. Do not disregard Itachi's sacrifice by so easily thinking there was an alternative that both he and I didn't see. We had six months to think of it Edward, six months."

"Is six months enough to decide the fate of a clan?" Edward asked bitterly. This was starting to sound too similar to the life which he had left behind, sound too similar to Amestris and the Ishbal Massacre. And _that_ had happened in able to satisfy some insane being's desire for absolute power.

The Sandaime was grim-faced. "Six months was all they gave us. We had to act, lest we be forced to _re_act."

"I never thought- it still doesn't- sure, maybe the perpetrators had to be taken out, but how does that justify the murder of the innocents? Of the _children_?"

The Sandaime looked pained, "The children would have grown up eventually, became ninja eventually. If they had discovered that the village was the true reason behind the clan's massacre, they would have turned against the village..."

"Bull," Edward growled, "If you've hid it so well, how could anyone possibly find the truth?"

There was a moment's of silence, then- "You found out, didn't you?"

A low shot. But one worthy of the Hokage, as Edward was inclined to think. His opinion of the old man was spiralling downwards at a dangerous rate, and he knew he had to get out of here before he did something he would regret. After all, he had Sasuke and now Naruto to think about as well.

Edward got up. This time, the Hokage didn't stop him. Maybe there was something on Edward's face that suggested doing so would be a bad idea.

The Sandaime almost seemed resigned- it was like he knew he had lost Edward's trust and knew there was nothing he could do about it.

"One last question," Edward said in a forced calm voice, "Did you also abandon the one whom you 'trusted'?"

The Hokage looked very, very tired. "As you know, he hasn't been caught yet. He is currently spying on a group of missing nins for Konoha, something that only he can do. He's still alive, but his situation is precarious."

Of course it was. Itachi was never given any easy task, was he? Not with the Hokage forcing impossible missions down his throat. Barely holding back a snarl, Edward turned on his heel, flinging the door to the office open. He took a step out...

"Don't go looking for him. That's an order."

Edward slammed the door shut.

* * *

_**16 October 07:55, The Academy**_

"Uzumaki!"

Naruto looked up from his book on seals, head turning in the direction of the screechy voice. Strolling purposefully towards him with hands on her hips was Ino, her lips thin with determination. Darn, he had been hoping to use the time before class started to look up some more seals work. He really needed to learn the elemental storage seal for his next prank! But it was not to be, as this was his first period class of social studies in which there was no Sasuke sitting next to him who would keep away all visitors with his impressive glare.

"What?" Naruto asked rudely, wondering what in the world the bossy blond wanted with him. Seriously, Ino never talked to him! She had even laughed at his dream of being Hokage, which thank you very much, was not so much of a dream as a prophecy. He would become Hokage, he would!

Oh hold on a minute, he could think of _one_ reason why she would talk to him... Ever since the fangirls had figured out that Naruto was the only person Sasuke would hold a conversation with, they had been bugging Naruto to no end. At first, Naruto had a lot of fun making fun of Sasuke, but now... how could he have ever been that cruel? Fangirls were no joke!

In every period that Naruto didn't share with Sasuke –which was fortunately few- fangirls would crowd around him and demand that he suggest some of them to Sasuke. They also asked him a lot of inane questions like what his favourite colour was, his favourite food, where he went in his spare time, etc.

...well, Naruto did know the answer to those questions, but that was besides the point!

Ino stepped up right next to the whisker marked boy, her green eyes narrowed in a glare, "I want your so called 'nii-san' to stay away from my dad!"

"Huh?" Well, that was unexpected.

"Yesterday he came to our house," Ino fumed, "And he made dad really upset! Dad wouldn't even eat or anything! Mom was all upset too, I could tell. So tell your precious 'nii-san' to stay away!"

Wh-what? Naruto felt anger well up inside him at the way Ino was talking about his nii-san. Sure, people could insult him, he was used to it and didn't really expect anything else, but his nii-san! How dare somebody talk badly about Edward nii-san and demand that he stayed away? How dare they? Edward nii-san was the kindest, coolest Naruto knew, and the only one outside of Gramps and Sasuke to acknowledge him. He provided Naruto with a home and- and- Naruto wouldn't let anyone talk badly about him!

"If Nii-san did something like that," Naruto shot back with no small amount of anger in his voice, "He had to have a great reason! Maybe your dada is a spy or something, and Nii-san is rooting him out!"

Ino's face turned red, her hands balling into fists. She slammed the desk in front of Naruto, making his book jump from the impact. "What did you just call my daddy?"

"A spy, or a murderer, or something!" Naruto exclaimed, not one to back down despite Ino's impressive display of rage, "Like I said, Edward nii-san never does anything without reason! Your dad must have done something wrong!"

_Slap_.

Naruto blinked, feeling the blossoming tingle of a hand shaped bruise on the right side of his cheek, then the tender throbbing that accompanied it. Ino stood over him, her hands on her hips again, and an accusing expression on her face. Then, his eyes narrowed.

Naruto turned his body to fully face Ino, instead of just his head. Her face registered confusion, but he didn't let that stop him. Faster than she could blink, Naruto lashed out with his leg, kicking the girl's leg with the equal amount of force she had slapped him with. Ino stumbled back, her leg bending from underneath her. She fell to the ground with a slight thud, staring up at Naruto with wide eyes, "You- you kicked me!"

Naruto snorted, his cheek still stinging from where she had slapped him, "You hit me first."

'But- but- but I'm a girl!"

"Yeah, so?" He never quite understood this argument. Naruto leaned in closer, truly curious, "What's the difference between girls and guys?"

Ino's face twisted, "That- that-"

"Besides," Naruto muttered, disappointed when it was clear she wasn't going to sate his curiosity. Huh, looked like she didn't know the answer either. Maybe he should ask Edward nii-san when he got back. "You hit harder than Kiba anyway."

Ino's face flushed, an odd expression her face, before she finally jumped back up as if she had not been injured at all, "You idiot! Is that a compliment or an insult? Are you saying I'm like a guy?"

* * *

_**16 October 08:15, Training Ground 47**_

Edward thrust out an arm, the trees nearby rippling slightly at his intensity. He kicked, blocked, punched, sliced, all with a frightening force and power. Training Ground 47 was very nearly demolished; trees bent askew and huge craters of displaced rock scattered everywhere.

Edward wasn't thinking, he was letting his body control it all. Shame, betrayal, frustration, anger all coursed through him, which is what led to the complete destruction of the first place Edward had went to after exiting the Hokage's office. It took every bit of self-restraint he had not to go wild in front of the Sandaime, but now he had no inhibitions.

His hits increased in tempo, his pace escalating. Each movement was fast and precise, because even through his anger, his body had not forgotten the long lessons. Edward went faster and faster, going through the motions as if he were running for a race-

Soon, his body was covered with sweat, his frustration forgotten as it slowly replaced itself with the sense of calm that always came with practicing Izumi-sensei's bastardized taijutsu. Slowly, Edward's punches and kicks died down, until he could finally think again.

Letting out a breath, Edward allowed his body to relax completely. He stretched out on the grassy plains, looking up at the clouds. Now that his mind had cleared, he could finally think, but he didn't exactly like what he was finding there.

First and foremost, there was shame, with just the right amount of helplessness. Yep, lovely feeling. He was ashamed that he hadn't seen the plot sooner- it had been _right there_, just like the plot with Amestris and the Homunculus. Itachi... if Edward had discovered this thing sooner, would Itachi have been here now?

The blond's fists clenched. No, no doubt that even if Edward had been able to discover the plot, there was nothing he could have actually done. Like the Sandaime had pointed out, Edward was an outsider and not even a terribly well-known one. In reality, what could he have done? Somehow convinced the Sandaime not to force Itachi to murder his clan, and cause a civil war instead? Helped Itachi murder his clan and been banished as well, but do a shoddy job at spying and get them both caught? No... there was not a thing Edward could have done if he'd known.

But that didn't make him feel any better about it. Edward still felt that if he'd known at the time, maybe _some_ brilliant idea would have flashed across his mind, _some_ spark of inspiration that could have changed the whole situation. He was far from conceited, but he was sure _something_ could have-

And even if there was nothing realistically Edward could have done, at least he could have offered understanding if he'd guessed the whole thing sooner. Itachi didn't deserve to live those months in constant doubt and worry, not with what happened with Shisui too...

And here was another thing. Was Shisui's death truly an accident, or was this somehow the Hokage's planning as well? Edward wished he had thought to ask. But at the time he had been too frustrated, too angry to think clearly...

Anger. That was another one of his emotions. He was _angry_ at the Sandaime, desperately angry. Angry because the Sandaime had kept this from him, even though logically the Sandaime had a reason to. Besides, it wasn't as if Edward was entitled to this information, as Sasuke was.

Sasuke... that brought up the question. Whether to tell Sasuke or not. On one hand, it would confirm beyond a doubt that Itachi was innocent and Sasuke wouldn't have such conflicted feelings about his true older brother, but on the other hand it would make Sasuke distrust the Hokage. Edward could perhaps, put this travesty behind him when it came to missions, but Sasuke would not be able to.

And then, Edward caught himself. What was he doing, thinking like a manipulative tool? It was Sasuke's right to know about Itachi, and so Edward would tell him. He'd just have to be there to guide Sasuke's reactions as well, that's all. But on the whole, Sasuke had to know about Itachi.

And then he caught himself once again.

Actually, he probably wouldn't be _able_ to tell Sasuke. This was nothing if not a S-class secret, perhaps even a SS-class. Edward's knuckles whitened. Wonderful.

Opening his eyes, he took a few deep breaths, letting the tension that had somehow gathered uncoil from his body. When he finally felt calm enough, Edward continued.

Alright, last emotion.

The Sandaime's actions- much of which he could understand. The killing of children Edward still didn't agree with, and thought the reasoning behind it was rather weak, but desperate times called for desperate measures. He could even see how a Kage who loved his village more than anything else would conduct such an execution. Itachi had given his consent, and Edward knew that it was true that Itachi would do anything for Konoha. The Sandaime didn't even have to ask, probably. Edward hated it all, wanted to change it, but knew what the world was like currently.

Having the ever cynical Tsunade as a sensei and having a job which required him to look into the bottom of mysteries had long broken any illusion Edward had about the ninja world. But to have the Sandaime –the man whom Edward had trusted and worked with to bring about true peace... to have the Sandaime do something like _this_.

It was hard to swallow.

To know that Konoha was no different from the other Hidden Villages Edward had visited, to know that the man who said he wished for peace actually conducted mass murders in the shadows...

For just the briefest, briefest second, Edward thought he might have hated Konoha.

* * *

_**28 October 11:28, Academy Courtyard**_

Aniki didn't like that Hokage.

That much was obvious. Whenever Aniki talked about the Hokage, there was always a sort of resentment in his eyes, the same sort of resentment Sasuke had felt towards the village not so long ago.

That was why, when Naruto invited Sasuke to lunch with his 'Gramps' Sasuke had refused.

So now here he was, sitting in the Academy courtyard, eating lunch by himself. And he had to admit, it was kinda... nice.

He liked the peace and quiet, the silent solitude. He'd always been looking for places to think quietly, but with Naruto around it was hard to find a place like that. Just sitting here and enjoying the sunshine... Sasuke liked it.

Just then, he noticed someone coming towards him.

Girls.

Sasuke quickly turned his gaze back to his food, pretending as if he hadn't spotted them. He watched them warily through his eyelashes, wondering what they were planning. Girls had to be the bane of his existence. Aniki and Naruto didn't really treat girls like girls, but Sasuke had been drilled at a young age to never mistreat a lady. If they'd asked him something, he couldn't refuse. At most, all he could do was offer a mumbled reply that was neither a yes or a no, and hope that they'd leave him alone.

With Naruto around, it was easy to ignore them. They never came up to him, whether they simply didn't want to be around the yellow haired prankster or thought Sasuke was unapproachable. But now, with Naruto nowhere in sight, the members of the Sasuke fan club had gotten an almost pitying gleam in their eyes. Of course, there was self-justification too.

Suddenly, Sasuke had a horrible idea of what was going to happen next. He could see it as clearly as the sandwich in front of him. The girls thought he was lonely, so they'd approach under the pretence of 'helping him', and then...

Sasuke shuddered, and quickly scanned the area for somewhere –anywhere- that he could escape to. Perhaps the bathroom? Loathe was he to eat the remainders of his lunch in the bathroom, it would be infinitely better than being caught by girls.

And then, he spotted it.

There, not too far away from where Sasuke was sitting, was a boy with sunglasses eating by himself underneath a tree. He had on a large white coat which partially covered the lower part of his face, which was odd for the weather. Best of all, there was not a single person around him.

It only took a moment for Sasuke to decide. For some reason, everyone was giving the guy a wide berth, but Sasuke was not just everyone. He got up, pretending he had not seen the girls coming towards him, and made his way towards the boy in the large white coat.

The other boy looked up in surprise, his large sunglasses looking like foggy discs. It was, Sasuke admitted, just a little bit creepy. But he had dealt with creepy before, and after touring the world, Sasuke thought that nothing in Konoha could scare him anymore. He gave a brief nod to the other boy, and sat down near him.

The other boy, Sasuke could tell, was staring at him in blank surprise.

Sasuke started eating his lunch again.

"You are Sasuke Uchiha, are you not?" The boy asked in a flat voice.

Sasuke bit into his sandwich, and sighed. He had been hoping that this boy wouldn't bother him over something like a name, but it seemed that he had hoped too much. Maybe the bathroom was a good idea after all.

Sasuke put down his sandwich, and nodded towards the white clothed boy. "I am."

The white clothed boy nodded, and didn't say anything more. They ate their lunches in companionable silence. Sasuke was glad for it; if it wasn't Naruto's blabbering or Aniki's mutterings, it was always loud questions from strangers. He never really had a chance for some quiet if he wasn't completely alone.

When he was done eating his sandwich, Sasuke turned to the white clothed boy, "Thanks."

For a moment, the boy with the sunglasses was silent, then- "You are thanking me for letting you sit with me. Why? Because you think that I usually do not allow others to sit with me. In fact you are wrong in that aspect. It is not that I usually drive others away, it is because they do not want to sit with me."

Sasuke listened, and he accepted. If it were Naruto, Sasuke was sure the blond would have simply scrunched up his nose with a look that screamed 'huh?' and demanded the white clothed boy to explain what he meant. As it was, Sasuke wasn't a genius for anything.

Sasuke leaned back against the tree, tilting his head ever so slightly so that he could catch a good glimpse of the clouds past the hanging branches overhead. "They're scared of your bugs, right?"

He had noticed them as he was eating. Had noticed the white clothed boy talking to and feeding the small critters with bits of his own lunch. At that point Sasuke hadn't cared; he had finally gotten his blessed silence.

"You said 'they'," The white clothed boy said thoughtfully. Seemed like he wasn't an idiot either. "Meaning that you do not agree with them. You are not scared of my bugs, or the way I treat them?"

Sasuke shrugged, throwing a small smirk at the boy beside him, "It would take more than that to scare me. I do have to put up with Naruto after all."

A small smile tugged at the corner of the bug boy's lips. Then, it disappeared, as if it had never been there at all. The white clothed boy also turned his head up to look at the clouds. "Sasuke Uchiha, they say you are an enigma. Why? Because you are a child prodigy, tragic hero, the last of the great Uchiha clan... yet you befriended Uzumaki, ignored the council, refused extra training."

"You seem to have me at a loss," Sasuke said calmly. He didn't much like how the boy had brought up the Uchiha clan. "I don't that much about you."

"Nor I you, it seems." The boy who played with bugs turned his full attention to Sasuke, so that Sasuke could almost see the boy's eyes narrow despite the dark sunglasses. "Why? It seems that I have been wrong in all my earlier conclusions about you. The only thing we know about each other right now is our names. I am Shino Aburame."

* * *

_**14 December 14:20, The Konoha Academy**_

"Hey! Brat!"

Naruto stopped walking and turned around, a wide grin spreading across his face when he recognized the cropped black hair and aquiline eyes. The man who had stopped him was running –or, speed walking, as he always called it- towards him, a book about as thick as a box of ramen in his hands.

"Kato-sensei!" Naruto chirped, skipping over to the disgruntled man and looking with wide eyes at the huge book, "Is that for me?"

"Why do you always assume I have something for you?" Kato grumbled, but nonetheless held out the book towards the blond. Naruto didn't need to be told twice. He grabbed the book, already flipping through it.

"Hey, new sealing techs, cool!" Naruto didn't like reading, but when it was sealing, he could make a bit of an exception. He still preferred the practical aspects of it, but as the Sandaime had taught him, sometimes one _needed_ a bit of theory.

Yep, that's how Naruto justified reading _so many_ books the year he had tried to learn sealing. In the end, he was finally able to understand it all, but it'd taken him a good nine months. And that was just the _basics_. Man, sealing was tough. But... it gave Naruto's creative side a challenge that nothing else gave him, more of a challenge than even pranking. Something about sealing just made part of Naruto feel really... excited. Sure, he was excited about all types of training (except for maybe history) but sealing just was...

"Return that within two weeks," Kato-sensei said sternly, breaking Naruto out of his thoughts.

"Sure." Then, the words registered. "Wait, _what_? You want me to read this thick book in _two weeks_?"

"Yes, two weeks," The black haired man said, his tone switching to annoyed, "It's a limited edition; only fifty copies in the world. I don't want it in your hands for more than two weeks. Who knows what'll happen to it?"

"Aw come on, I never-"

"_The Art of Sealing, Level Three, by Himiori Anoki._ _Equations of Sealing, by Akihiro Nobu. The Secrets of Time/Space Seal_-"

"Hey! That one wasn't my fault! It had a picture of a warp-seal, and was I not _supposed_ to just try it out?"

"Not right on the page of the book, no!"

"There wasn't any scarp paper around!"

"You-!" Kato-sensei drew in a deep breath, then let it out. "Argh, never mind, it's useless arguing with you. I don't understand geniuses sometimes. Uchiha-san isn't as absentminded as you; I'll just ask him to keep an eye on that book. I've got a lesson to plan for. Later, brat."

"Bye!"

Kato-sensei shook his head one last time, and walked away.

Naruto grinned; yep, he really didn't regret cancelling the bet after he had learned sealing. Kato-sensei had called him master for a day, and Naruto had quickly grown tired of it. It was cool for a while, but then it just got seriously creepy, and Naruto was perfectly willing to let all bets settle after making the temperamental genjutsu teacher do one prank.

After that, Naruto found out that Kato-sensei wasn't such a bad guy after all. Kato-sensei started to actually teach Naruto stuff- really cool stuff- stuff that his other academy teachers wouldn't explain to him. Also, the genjutsu teacher started giving Naruto all these books from his collection to read- not to keep of course, just for borrowing, but it was more than anyone (outside of Edward nii-san and Sasuke) had ever done for Naruto before. Kato-sensei had muttered something about 'a waste of a talent'. 'Cause, you know, Naruto was just that awesome. He was a _talent_.

Whistling to himself, Naruto walked down the halls of the Academy, towards his original destination- the attendance office. With the attendance sheet for the last day of the class in one hand, and the new book on sealing in the other, Naruto sauntered into the office and set down the piece of paper in front of the secretary. Then, he walked back out.

He got back to the classroom when the teacher was already lecturing, and made his presence known of course. Their teacher gave Naruto one annoyed glance, then gestured for the blond to take his seat. The blond did so with the uptime of pleasure, loving the way everyone's eyes were on him.

"What's that?" Ino asked as he sat down beside her.

"A book," Naruto grinned foxily, carefully keeping the title hidden from her. He knew it would drive her crazy.

Sure enough, Ino's eye started to twitch. "Well _yeah_ idiot, anyone can see that. What's it about?"

"Hm, well..." Naruto tapped his chin, "It's about things."

"Naruto!"

The blond laughed, "Alright, alright, it's actually this super awesome book on sealing! I'm super awesome at it!"

Ino's face for some reason just got redder, "Naruto! Don't lie to me!"

"Eh? Whaddaya mean? I'm not lying!"

"But- but-" Ino spluttered, and then paused. She looked a little suspicious, "Is it really about sealing?"

"Yeah!"

Ino sighed, "Alright, you're too stupid to lie about things like this. But, I heard that sealing is really hard. You're always asking me these simple questions in class. So, how did _you_ manage to learn something like sealing?"

Naruto was affronted. Moreover, he was hurt. He thought that Ino understood his abilities, and didn't underestimate him like the rest of the Academy did. Sure, at first she'd been surprised he'd been actually doing well in his classes, despite his constant pranks, but she had accredited that to Sasuke being a miracle worker. Eventually though, Ino had even admitted that Naruto wasn't as dumb as he sometimes appeared. Was that... "Hey! Just 'cause I don't do the best in class doesn't mean that-"

"_HA!_ Got you! That's what you get for playing with the great Ino-sama!"

"You- you-" Naruto spluttered. Ino had been tricking him! She'd _known_ he'd get insulted by what she'd said. "Argh!"

"You two!" The teacher up front barked, "Quiet down up there!"

The two blonds instantly shushed. They made sure their conversation wasn't loud enough to be heard by the teacher.

Soon, class was over, and all the students filed out of the room- including Naruto. He skipped over to Sasuke's classroom, wondering if the raven haired boy was done with his class yet. Sure enough, Naruto saw Sasuke talking to the boy with sunglasses and a high white collared coat- Shono or something.

When Sasuke saw Naruto, the black haired boy waved goodbye to his friend and walked up to the blond.

"Took you long enough," Sasuke muttered as they walked out of the Academy, ignoring the tongue that Naruto stuck out at him. Then, his eyes slid down to Naruto's hands- or more importantly, what was in them, "Kato-san gave you another book, didn't he?"

"Yeah, but he says I gotta return it in two weeks," Naruto grumbled, deciding to forgo making faces at Sasuke in favour of complaining about Kato-sensei, "What the heck! Who can finish something this thick in two weeks?"

There was a pause, and then a slightly wistful "Aniki can."

Oh yeah. Edward nii-san probably could. The jounin was just crazy like that. Heck, Edward nii-san could probably finish the book in _two hours_. Problem was, Naruto wasn't crazy like that.

And as if Edward nii-san was called by Naruto's thoughts, he suddenly appeared in front of them.

Naruto instantly fell into a fighting stance, and saw Sasuke do the same. When they discerned it was only Edward nii-san, they relaxed. Though only slightly.

"Oh, you two are getting good," Edward nii-san commented, his lips twitching. Ever since Edward nii-san had gotten back, he'd started randomly popping up wherever they were, to test their responses to surprise situations. He didn't do it enough so that Naruto and Sasuke were paranoid, but it was a pretty close thing.

"Bastard," Naruto grumbled.

Edward nii-san looked at him with raised brows, "What did you say?"

Naruto froze. Uh-oh. He smiled weakly, "Ba-ba-basil?"

"Oh," Edward nii-san looked thoughtful for a moment, "You're right, we do need to buy some basil."

Naruto was about to sigh in relief, when-

_Uh_.

Realization hit him like a forty ton truck. Oh no, it was shopping day.

_That_ was why Edward nii-san was here, greeting them at the entrance of the Academy gate. Normally, Edward nii-san just waited until they got home before doing anything with them, but no on shopping days. Their new home (Edward had bought them a house, saying that their neighbours were complaining about Naruto's and Sasuke's constant arguments. Well, it wasn't _Naruto's_ fault anyhow) was on the opposite end of the Central Market, which the Academy was actually somewhat close to. So, once a week Edward nii-san would take Naruto and Sasuke to buy their groceries.

Naruto sighed, and followed his two family members to Central Square.

They were shopping, and shopping was something Naruto didn't like too much. None of the shopowners wanted to sell to him, though he didn't know why, especially since he wasn't an orphan anymore. It wouldn't have been that bad though, if it were only that. Edward nii-san however, couldn't take an insult lying down, even if it were an insult to Nartuo. Whenever a shopowner so much as glared at Naruto, Edward's attitude would become worse than a pregnant woman's.

Naruto had once suggested that only Edward and Sasuke should go shopping together, but it was surprisingly Sasuke who refused him, and gave him the will to continue. Well, calling anyone a coward was a very good incentive. Anyway, so now Naruto was always dragged along whenever they went shopping, and forced to carry bags because Edward didn't want to! Sometimes, Naruto thought Edward just wanted him to come along to be a mobile cart. At least though, Sasuke got the same treatment.

Thinking about the Uchiha… Naruto glanced at his best friend, who was scowling as Edward argued prices with a vendor. It almost made Naruto blush. He had always wondered why Sasuke was always in such a foul mood at the marketplace, and once he had made the mistake of thinking it was because Sasuke was embarrassed to be around him. Sasuke had shouted at him then, that he was mad about the stupid attitudes the villagers had against Naruto, and frustrated that not even the Uchiha could do anything about it. No one had ever said anything like that to Naruto before. Was that… what a family was like? No, Naruto knew what a family was like. It was Sasuke, Edward, and Gramps.

"It's a stupid price!" Edward bit out heatedly, "I bet you wouldn't charge anyone else this much!"

"Mr. Jounin," The vendor said in all seriousness, the effect ruined somewhat by the glance he made to Naruto, "Do you really think I would disrespect Konoha's ninjas like that?"

"Ugh I've had enough with you!" Without another word, Edward turned, walking briskly away from the stall. With a glance at each other, Naruto and Sasuke quickly followed, hoping that their Nii-san's foul mood wouldn't carry over in training. Sometimes, the blond genius could be quite ruthless when he was stressed.

Soon, a familiar store came into sight, and a middle aged woman greeted them with a smile, "Ah! Edward, Naruto, Sasuke, hello! What do you need?"

Edward rolled his eyes, but smiled nonetheless as he detailed the things he needed, "…that stupid vendor. He specialized in making those, but I'm not in the mood to deal with those attitudes today. So, can you find something that could replace that?"

The woman nodded, and scurried off to find the items after she gave one last smile to Naruto. Naruto smiled back. The woman hadn't like him at first, just like most of the regular storeowners Edward visited. After some time though, she must have figured out she had to put up with him, and now she was no longer looking at him with cold stares! Naruto had been beyond happy with the thought.

Finally, she came out of her storage room, the requested items in hand. Edward thanked her, handed her the money, and out of the store they went. They hadn't gone more than a few steps however, when Edward suddenly froze, his bag of items falling with a loud _thud_ to the ground.

"What the heck…?" His face tightening, the blond jounin quickly made a hand seal, creating a shadow clone. He nodded to it, and it disappeared in a flash. Next, Edward turned to Naruto and Sasuke, his face serious, "There's an escaping prisoner, I have to go take care of it. I'll meet you at home."

Without another word, Edward disappeared. Naruto felt a grin make its way up his face as he turned to Sasuke excitedly, "Do you feel where he went?"

The black haired Uchiha nodded slowly, "Yes…"

When Edward nii-san had come back, he had started teaching them his chakra-sensing techniques per their request. Of course, Naruto wasn't very good at it, but whatever, he had sealing. Sasuke's quick learning more than made up for Naruto's abysmal attempts.

"Great! Let's follow him then! We can impress Nii-san!"

Sasuke hesitated, "I don't know…"

"Ah, what are you, a baby?" Naruto stuck out his tongue, "We've learned a lot! We're not like the other students our age! We can totally take down a weak prisoner!"

"I'm not a baby," Sasuke said hotly, "It's just that Aniki will probably get really mad at us. Do _you_ want to do another month of only chakra exercises?"

Naruto actually winced at that one. The last time he and Sasuke had done something Edward nii-san deemed irredeemable they'd been stuck only being taught chakra exercises. Seriously boring stuff. Sure, somewhat helpful, but seriously boring. Heck, Naruto'd rather be reading his tombs on sealing than do something like that again!

"Aw, he won't see this like _that incident_," Naruto only just kept the shudder out of his voice. After all, he had to get Sasuke to agree to this, right? "I bet he'll be really impressed. We'll show him what we've really learned!"

"Do you really think... he'll be impressed?"

Naruto opened his mouth, then paused. He threw a smirk at the Uchiha, "What's this? Are you... _unsure_?"

Sasuke blinked, then scowled, "If Aniki goes berserk over this, you're taking the blame. Now let's get going."

Naruto grinned, and they bounded off.

They found Edward nii-san in a forest, his telltale red cloak easily visible amongst the trees. He was standing with a kunai poised to the neck of who Naruto could only assume to be the prisoner. The prisoner didn't even have a forehead protector on, but if Edward's tense stance was any indication, then the prisoner was far from a civilian.

"Sasuke, Naruto," Edward nii-san's voice was tired, "I thought I told you guys not to follow me."

"Ah..." This time, it was the other ninja that spoke. His adam's apple brushed the edge of Edward nii-san's weapon, drawing a thin line of blood, but he didn't seem to care. His eyes, which had previously been diverted to the two arrivals, shifted back to Edward nii-san, "So that's the reason you stopped stalling and suddenly went all aggressive. It's those kids?"

Edward nii-san didn't answer, but Naruto did. He stomped his foot, fuming, "Hey! We're not kids! We're going to be ninja!"

Aw man this sucked, Edward nii-san was already done with cleaning up this ninja. Edward nii-san clearly didn't need help. So how was Naruto supposed to show off what he'd learned?

"Told you this was a stupid idea," Sasuke muttered.

"Bastard," Naruto growled, "You agreed to this too!"

"You two..." Edward nii-san rolled his eyes. Yes, actually rolled his eyes. Despite the fact that he potentially held a very dangerous criminal at kunai-point, Edward nii-san actually allowed himself to get sucked into their arguments. "Now look, because of you two, I have to hold this man at kunai-point until backup arrives. Do you know how tiring this is?"

Naruto shifted guiltily. He didn't mean to, really he didn't! Besides, if Edward nii-san would just trust them a little, then he wouldn't have to stand like that! Naruto and Sasuke weren't going to mess things up; they weren't like the other kids at the academy. Still...

"Sorry," Naruto mumbled, and then brightened, "Hey! I have a seal that'll hold someone still! You know the one!"

Edward nii-san blinked, then slowly nodded, "You may be right. Alright Naruto, you have your chance to prove yourself. Just don't do this again alright? Disobeying orders when lives aren't in danger is not okay."

"Yatta!" Naruto punched his fist into the air, then bounded over to Edward and the prisoner. Quickly, he started sketching out the seal beneath the two, then... "Done!"

"Check it over." Edward nii-san told him.

Naruto pouted; aw man, did he have to? It was such a bore! Still, he knew better than to argue with Edward nii-san over this, especially when the older blond have given him so much leeway already. So, Naruto bent his head, looking like he was checking the seal over while in reality he let his mind wander off to ramen. When an appropriate amount of time passed, Naruto looked up with a grin, "Done now?"

"Good," Edward nii-san nodded, then muttered, "I wonder what's taking the ANBU so long... well, activate it then. It'll only affect him because he's in the center, right?"

Naruto bobbed his head with a grin, and Edward nii-san gave him a slight smile and a nod of recognition in return. Naruto squatted, then placed two fingers on the seal, eyes half closing in concentration. He felt for a thread of chakra, then slowly pushed it into his creation. The seal glowed blue...

_**Boom!**_

Naruto's body went flying through the air due to the force of the explosion, and out of the corner of his eye he saw Sasuke hit a tree and black out. Edward nii-san was blown backwards, and the prisoner upwards. Naruto didn't have much time to dwell on it however before his back exploded in pain, and he realized he must have hit a tree.

His vision wavered, but not so much that he didn't see the prisoner flip and change direction mid-air. Instead of flying upwards, the prisoner instead leapt sideways... towards Naruto. He had a killer expression on his face, and suddenly, without a doubt, Naruto knew what he was going to do.

As if in slow motion, Naruto watched the prisoner fly towards him, digging out a kunai somewhere from his body. Naruto wanted to move, but couldn't. His body was in too much pain, and he wasn't fast enough. He closed his eyes...

And felt blood splatter his face.

Naruto's eyes flew open. He gasped, a horrid sucking noise where his breath should have been. Directly in front of his eyes was the ghastly face of the prisoner, brown eyes wide with shock and face drained of blood. For a moment, the prisoner swayed, and then he fell, sideways, to the muddy floor. At the back of the prisoner's neck there was a kunai, embedded in the man with deadly precision, so much so that not even blood was flowing from the wound.

Suddenly, tremors started racking Naruto's body.

Slowly, he looked away from the dead man at his feet –for Naruto was sure the man was dead- and allowed his gaze instead to follow the track of the kunai to its owner. Edward nii-san stared back at him, his own face pale and breaths coming in harsh gasps.

"I... I killed him," Edward nii-san murmured, his voice shaking. Naruto had never heard Edward nii-san's voice shake like that. His next words were quiet, almost as if he were muttering to himself, but Naruto with a stab of guilt heard them all the same. "I had no time... a kunai was all I had, and I had to make sure he didn't hurt Naruto... but I... I..."

An instant later, the clearing was flooded with people. Or at least, that's what it seemed like to Naruto. Various people in different animal masks seemed to appear out of nowhere, scanning and searching the area. Naruto hardly noticed.

That is, until one of the people went too close to the site of the explosion.

"This seal," The man in a bear mask murmured, his voice barely above the winds, "Masterfully created, but... hm, why doesn't this line look like all the rest?"

Naruto blinked, then felt his blood freeze. Slowly, he crawled over to the large seal he had constructed. Edward nii-san still didn't move from his spot, was still staring blankly ahead, and the strange men with the animal masks paid no attention to the eleven year old blond.

With churning guts, Naruto made his way over to his seal, and _looked_. Truly, truly examined his seal. Everything was perfect, except...

He got a sinking feeling in his gut.

Except for that line, which wasn't nearly as straight as it was supposed to be. Except for the circle, which Naruto forgot to include because it was one of many circles, and Naruto had never been one for details. Except... details were the thing that made seals. He had read about the consequences of one line out of place, one dot where a dot wasn't supposed to be. He had read about the consequences and laughed, damn it!

Just because he found something he was talented in, he thought he could slack off, and... He looked again to Edward nii-san, who was still murmuring silently to himself and not paying the world any attention. He looked to the dangerous and wild prisoner, who had come to him with the intent to kill and was now lying there dead, face drained of blood. He looked to Sasuke, who was lying there so unmoving, so still.

Against that prisoner, Naruto had not made his seal properly, because he was lazy and sloppy, and the result was the huge explosion of chakra.

Everything... was his fault.

* * *

A/n: Well, well, who expected Naruto to seriously _mess up_? Seriously though, he's a hyperactive kid, and sealing is a discipline that requires patience. Naruto won't be able to automatically be a seal master simply because of the precision, even if he intuitively understands it.

I have to say, I LOLed at Sasuke's introduction to Shino. Why? Because it sounded so much more like a political alliance than the beginning of a friendship. But still, I think Sasuke and Shino suit each other. Ino's and Naruto's sounded much more natural... haha...

In case anyone's wondering what happened (though Ed will sorta recount it in his POV in the next chapter), it is as follows: Seal exploded, and prisoner decides to go after Naruto to use as a hostage. Ed sees it as the prisoner trying to kill Naruto. Ed doesn't have time to reach for his senbon, but guess what, a kunai is already in his hands. Ed throws the kunai at a spot aimed to kill, because he isn't sure if a kunai is precise enough to stop the prisoner if he aims it anywhere else.


	16. VI

A/n: Happy New Year. Hope this helps kill the time as you try to stave off sleep ^^

Chapter 6- Realizations

He had killed him.

Despite inventing _that_ jutsu, despite his year of training to be so precise with weaponry that he would be able to paralyze with one hit rather than kill… despite all that, the former prisoner of Konohagakure was dead from a blow Edward Elric had dealt.

Edward felt his body start to shake, and suddenly he knew that he couldn't stay there any longer. Couldn't stay next to the corpse he had created. Edward turned, and ran.

He ran as fast as he was able, leaving behind the corpse amongst the trees and the two kids he had come to love.

He had…

He had…

He had _killed_.

Taken a life. Ripped it from another's hands. Stole something oh-so-precious, and had no chance on giving it back. Did something he swore never to do. Had traded one life for another's selfishly. That ninja he had killed would never see the light of day again, never laugh with loved ones or share his tales with grandchildren. Would never reconcile with his wife and kids, would never get to atone for whatever sins he had committed.

Finally, he stopped, when he felt that nobody was within his range anymore. And then, he promptly threw up.

Edward bent over, his stomach contracting painfully his stomach emptied itself of the remnants of his lunch. Tears stung his eyes, and suddenly the strength in his legs left him. He crumbled, next to the stench that was his vomit.

And then he felt the chakra flare that meant that the Sandaime was signaling him.

Edward smiled weakly, almost bitterly; even in a moment of anguish he would get no reprieve. Wiping his eyes, Edward got up, and started running again. This time, towards a place that would cage him rather than release him.

As he ran, Edward's mind couldn't help but go back towards that horrible scene in the forest. He wanted to focus on calming himself so that he was presentable in front of the Hokage, but he could not help it.

He… he didn't know what to think. Logically, he knew that there wasn't much he could have done. The prisoner was almost upon Naruto, and Edward had no time to reach for one of his many senbon needles. He had a kunai on hand.

With kunai, it was hard to be precise, because the weapon itself did not lend itself to non-lethal precision. Sure, it was easy to kill with it, but it was extremely hard to use a kunai to hit a pressure point that paralyzed while avoiding all the pressure points that could kill. Added to that, the escaped prisoner had been someone of jounin level, and to paralyze him with the use of weaponry would have taken more than one projectile. Using a kunai to paralyze might work against genin, but even someone of Tsunade-sensei's skill wouldn't be able to use something like that against a jounin.

So… Edward's only option had been to hope for a one shot kill, really. If he didn't want Naruto to suffer a painful fate, that is. It was… the only choice.

"_That still doesn't solve how you're going to refrain from killing. You will have to, eventually"_

_"Then… then I'll just invent a way to make a ninja harmless without killing them."_

What had happened to his determination, his surety that he would be able to go through life without a single kill? His willpower to prove that the ninja life didn't have to involve the taking of lives?

The only choice? What a joke.

Yeah right his only choice was to kill that ninja in cold blood. Yeah right.

His fingers curled into a fist, nails cutting deep into the flesh of his hands. He was useless.

He could not even face Sasuke and Naruto anymore. The reason he had left the clearing was as much for them as for himself. For now, Edward wasn't sure how he'd deal with anybody, and he hated his lack of control.

Before he knew it, he had arrived at the Hokage tower. Making sure that the remnants of tears were gone from his face –because _now_, he knew he couldn't show weaknesses anymore, not to the Sandaime who had ordered the Uchiha massacre- Edward trudged up the stairs and knocked on the door.

"Come in, Edward," The Sandaime's voice was soft, almost as if he were afraid Edward would break.

Edward snorted; ha, as if the Sandaime would really care. Or if the Hokage did care, it certainly wasn't enough to stop him from ordering the unthinkable. Nevertheless, Edward pushed open the door.

The Third Hokage of Konoha was as always, sitting behind that damnable desk of his, face lined with sorrow and age. Edward's brow ceased when he saw the innocent looking crystal ball on the Sandaime's desk, and he barely held back a snarl. So, the Hokage had been spying on him.

As if reading Edward's thoughts, the Sandaime shook his head, "No Edward, I was simply worried about the escape your shadow clone mentioned. When Bear, Rat, and Horse got there… I am sorry I didn't know you were gone until I sent you that pulse… I was keeping an eye on Naruto."

Naruto. Edward felt a pang in his chest, and felt himself unconsciously drifting towards the seat facing the Sandaime. He sat down, almost without realizing it. Naruto had just seen his first death, and Sasuke was unconscious. But… but they'd be fine even without him; the ANBU would take care of them. They didn't need to see a 'nii-san' who had so easily killed and failed to protect them…

So why did that reasoning still sound empty in Edward's heart?

"I got the situation from Horse," The Sandaime continued, staring at Edward with imploring black eyes, "He said your performance was excellent, and wondered if you were a hunter nin, though of course he didn't say that out loud. However, I know that the reason you went to Tsunade wasn't anything as simple as just increasing medical skills, and the reason you became a ninja wasn't just so that you could protect… it was so you could _always_ save instead of kill, wasn't it?"

Edward stiffened in his seat, his fingers curling tightly over the armrests. His heart was pounding rapidly and his head spun, but he refused to acknowledge it. What did the Sandaime know about him anyway?

The Sandaime searched his eyes, and sighed, his voice sounding as old as his age. "You… you will not talk to me?"

"There's nothing to talk about, Hokage," Edward bit out, barely controlling his voice.

"Edward…"

Why? Why? _Why?_ Why did the Hokage sound so old every time he talked to Edward? Every time the Sandaime talked now, he sounded so worn, so regretful, so sorrow-filled. Was he trying to guilt Edward into having the same relationship with him as before the truth behind the Uchiha massacre was revealed? He must have known that it was not possible; the Sandaime had lost Edward's trust forever.

"Edward I…" The Sandaime paused, a pained expression on his face, "You had no choice but to kill. I'm sure you've already thought of all the reasons why. It was either that ninja or Naruto. Nobody would have done any differently."

_Snap_.

The armrests that Edward had been clutching onto shattered, spraying shrapnel all over the place. Pieces of wood dug into Edward's palms, drawing blood, but he didn't care. He had stood up, he realized, but by then he had already stopped caring.

"How dare you," He hissed, a small corner of his mind in awe of the sibilant sound. It seemed like the Sandaime felt it too, because suddenly the Hokage paled, as if he had seen a ghost of the past. "_How dare you say that?_ How could you treat life so lightly, thinking 'oh well, it couldn't be helped' after an event like that. It's no wonder that you haven't found a way to peace yet- you don't really _try_! Even if there was no way, I should have found a way! Maybe it's okay for people like _you_ to trade life, but it's not okay for me! _Itachi_ murdered his most precious people for your so-called peace, so how can you say it's okay to kill someone as long as you're saving your family? What an absolute _joke_!"

"Edward," The Sandaime's face was tight, "I… I didn't mean-"

"Don't say it," Edward snarled, turning on his heel and striding purposefully towards the door, "Once you've said something, don't try to take it back."

He wasn't going to stay for this, not for anything. If the Hokage decided that he was a threat, so be it. Edward had already killed, he could- he could- it hardly mattered what he did anymore, did it? Edward was in the process of turning the doorknob, when-

"I was nine." It was the Sandaime. The old man's voice was soft, wistful, completely unlike anything Edward had heard before. It made him stop in spite of himself, frozen in place with his hand still on the door but the door still closed.

"I was nine, and we were at war. Weren't we always at war? I've lived through three wars you know, and I've never gotten used to the bloodshed. I still remember each and every person I've killed, each and every person I've sent to their deaths. Sawada, Arihyoshi, Doi, Ebina, and faces… all these faces of people I'd never known, but took from their families nonetheless. You have not seen a ninja war Edward, and you should be glad of it. It changes everyone it touches- me, my senseis, my teammates, even Itachi. War is… ah, forgive me, I am getting off topic again. Such things seem to happen more and more often recently. I wish the Yondaime…

"I am not quite sure why I have been granted such a long life, not when my very first kill was at nine years old. That young, and I had already started taking a life. I was with my teammate Koharu when it happened- we were jumped by Kumo while we went to gather firewood, and I later found out that our sensei did not immediately come to our rescue because our camp was being attacked. It was not supposed to be attacked; we weren't an offensive force- just delivering supplies, really, but often times in war these things happen.

"Koharu and I fought as best as we could, but we were overwhelmed. In the end, Koharu was nearly captured by the ninja, and she would have died if I had not acted. There was literally no other choice. The ninja was greater than me, but I had the element of surprise on my side- one final ace if you will. But it was a lethal technique, and I had never used it on a human before. But Koharu was about to die, and I could not let the teammate –nay, the friend- that I had trained with for nine months die because I was too scared to use a jutsu.

"And so I used it. The result was horrifying. There was nothing left of the ninja except for sewn pieces of flesh and blood. Koharu was also damaged during that attack.

"I hated myself for it. Not only had I killed, but I had not managed to protect the person I was trying to save. I was worthless, useless, worse than dirt and not even a thing worth looking at. I had rather I died than the Kumo nin.

"I vowed to myself instead to become the 'God of Shinobi', so that I would never have to kill because my skill was so great. It worked out- for a while, before the day it all went wrong. Part of being ninja I think is to prepare for the unexpected, because such things happen daily in the lives of the wicked. Sensei was probably prepared- he was always that- but we weren't. I once again found myself in a situation where I had no choice but to use a lethal jutsu, except this time I doubted my judgment. I thought there was no choice, but was there truly no choice? I wasn't sure, and thus, I hesitated.

"That one moment's of hesitation was all it took. The enemy struck, and… someone precious to me died. It was because I hadn't acted. I had a chance, and I knew that she would die if I didn't use my jutsu, but I wasn't sure… And so, because of my doubt and unwillingness to soil my hands again, somebody who shouldn't have been involved in the war died.

"I realized then that sometimes there is no other choice. Because you see, even if there were some miraculous action we could have made instead of the ones we took, we did not see it then, and so such a choice was never truly available to us in the first place. She died then, and it was because I did not act."

Edward closed his eyes, and thought about what the Sandaime said. It was obvious that the Hokage was trying to tell Edward in his roundabout way that what Edward did should not be something to be ashamed of, that Edward shouldn't have to learn the hard way like the Sandaime did that one had to accept that sometimes one had to kill. In it's way, the story was effective, but it was the Sandaime…

Edward's eyes snapped open, golden orbs cold. He finished turning the doorknob, and pushed the door open. He paused just before he left, turning his head to give the Sandaime one last statement, "Save your story for someone who cares, Hokage."

He didn't wait for the Hokage's response. Edward descended rapidly down the tower and ploughed onto the streets, wanting to get as far away from the Sandaime and his understanding eyes as possible. He didn't want to be around the hypocrite, didn't want to think that someone who could order the massacre of a whole clan was in any way similar to himself. It was disgusting.

He stalked home, flung open the door, and-

"Naruto?" He said in surprise, blinking several times at the scene before him. Naruto was standing in the doorway, biting his lip nervously, tear tracks clearly visible on his face.

"E-E-Edward ni-ni-" Naruto hiccupped, and stepped back to allow Edward into the room. He hastily wiped at his face, "Elric-san, you're back."

Edward felt dread fill him. He stepped into the living room. He knelt down so that he was eye to eye with the shorter blond, and put his hands on the blue eyed boy's shoulders, "Naruto… you're okay, right?"

Naruto nodded, but Edward could see it wasn't sincere. The golden eyed boy felt his heart sink.

He shouldn't have left them. No matter how badly Edward had been feeling at the moment, he shouldn't have left his two charges. Who knew if the ANBU sent had been certified medics? What if something had gone wrong with Sasuke and Naruto and now they had to suffer because the person who should have been taking care of them decided to take a long vacation instead because he was unsure of himself and-

Itachi wouldn't have been so irresponsible.

"Naruto," Edward's grip on Naruto's shoulders tightened, before loosening again. Golden eyes flittered shut, and then back open, but the voice that came out was pained, "I'm… I'm sorry."

Blue eyes widened with… surprise?

"What do you mean _you're_ sorry?" Naruto asked, his voice squeaking, "Unless… unless you mean you're sorry you took me in?"

Huh? "Huh?"

"You've- you've been so nice to me, and- and I repay you by getting both you and Sasuke hurt. I'm horrible aren't I? Maybe those villagers weren't wrong about me. I'm really a good for nothing, blasted little-"

"Naruto!" Edward's voice was sharp, and Naruto flinched at it. Edward gritted his teeth, trying to make sense of what the younger blond was saying. Obviously Naruto had somehow taken the blame for himself in Edward's absence. It was all his fault… if only he had stayed, stayed and explained things… he had been so irresponsible. "Naruto, you didn't do anything wrong."

"But I did!" Naruto burst out, his eyes filling up with tears, "You don't know but- but when you told me to double check my seals, I didn't! So… so it exploded! It's all because I was so careless that you and Sasuke are hurt!"

"That's not– wait, _what_?" If Edward were to say he was expecting what Naruto had just said, he'd be lying. Even so, his mind was doing rapid calculations. Did Naruto just say… that he didn't check his seal? That meant that the explosion happened because of…

"The star symbol! I was too careless, and it wasn't a perfect ten point star. I know what I should have done, but I didn't. I- I-" Naruto choked, hiccupping. He hastily wiped at his eyes, and looked down, refusing to meet Edward's gaze, "You… you've always been really nice to me. Well, maybe nice isn't the right word, but I thought I had something like a family with you and Sasuke. Some way to treat family, huh? I got Sasuke hurt, and you in pain. Everyone always treated me coldly, and I've always wondered why. I wonder now if it's because they knew I'd mess up like this if given the chance- I wonder if they knew I sucked this bad at being a family member, and that's why they always refused me."

"Naruto…" This was too much to take in all at once. The reason Edward had to kill, was because of Naruto. He'd thought it was something as innocent as protecting, but it was actually…

Naruto shrugged off the older blond's grip. Hands feeling around blindly, Naruto finally grasped the edges of the large bags Edward had noticed earlier by the door. Though, Edward was hardly noticing that now. The boy stumbled past the ninja, out the door, and Edward didn't stop him.

Naruto stopped at the gateway, and gave one last look at Edward. It was a pained expression, filled with something that no ten year old should know. He swallowed, a sad smile making its way up his lips, "I… I know it's not enough to make up for what happened, but I'll be out of your lives from now on. I even understand it if you want to throw me in jail and make me quit being a ninja. Hokage, Hokage, that's all I wanted, but I'm probably not worthy, right? Maybe… maybe all those people were right about me, and I'll never amount to anything."

And with that, Naruto trotted away.

Edward closed his eyes.

And then, he got up, brushed off his cloak, and flashed over to the younger blond. Naruto was in too much distress to use Body Flicker, but not Edward. He caught up to the eleven year old in a second, appearing directly in front of—

"Ack!" Naruto bumped into him, sending his luggage flying everywhere. Naruto looked up, his blue eyes fierce, "Who are— Edward nii-san?"

"Who else?" Edward replied with a roll of his eyes, and flicked Naruto on the forehead. Naruto's hands flew up to the wounded spot, and blue eyes glared at Edward balefully. That is… until Naruto realized what he was doing. And then, the smaller blond just sort of ducked his head, his whole form turning demure.

Edward sighed. Stillness was so unnatural on that blue-eyed monster. "I knew you were dumb when I first started teaching you, but I didn't think you'd be this stupid."

Naruto's head shot up, eyes wide.

Edward swallowed; this was hard, keeping his own emotions at bay while he tried to wrestle with Naruto's. But then again, maybe not so hard after all. Wasn't this what he had tried doing in the four years he'd travelled with Al? Of course, Al knew him too well for it to work for too long, but Edward still thought he had something with it.

"Let's go back to the house first."

Naruto opened his mouth as if to argue, but seemed to catch himself before he said anything. Mutely, Naruto nodded, picked up his bags, and trudged back towards the house. With a sigh, Edward followed.

Soon, their house came into view.

Edward smiled sadly at the sight of their house. He and Sasuke had been fine living in an apartment of course, but with the addition of Naruto that really wasn't possible anymore. The landlord had thrown a fit about how loud the two children were, and Edward couldn't find it in himself to disagree with him. After all, even he had to admit Sasuke's and Naruto's fights got rather… heated. Edward had bought a house so they wouldn't disrupt anyone anymore.

Naruto had stopped in front of the entranceway.

"Why aren't you going in?" Edward asked before he stopped to really think about it. After all, the house was as much Naruto's as it was anyone else's. It held the same amount of memories.

Naruto's eyes widened, and then teared up. He looked down, hastily wiping at them. "I- you- it's not mine any more. I used to be so happy you know, I bragged to all the Academy students that I wasn't just a failure and I was brilliant and loved and had a great place that was mine. But I messed that all up didn't I? Now I can't even say that fate hates me, because fate's been good to me, but I had to mess it all up. It- it- it's me that's no good."

Edward felt his heart break over the words. Suddenly it didn't matter if the whole scenario was Naruto's fault; the blue eyed boy was already paying for it. Edward doubted that this moment would ever leave Naruto's memory. But as for now… "Naruto, don't be ridiculous."

Naruto's head shot up, "What?"

Edward squeezed Naruto's shoulders, and pushed him inside the house. He kicked the door closed behind them. "I said Naruto, don't be ridiculous. Everyone makes mistakes, and even if yours was your own fault, now you know the consequences, right? You won't make this mistake again?"

Naruto hastily nodded, "No! Never!"

"Good, then I don't see what the problem is. What's all this talk about leaving?"

"But- but-" Naruto protested, "I hurt Sasuke! And you!"

Edward felt another pang in his chest. So even Naruto had noticed Edward's reactions. He should not have shown his disturbed feelings so easily. Edward swallowed, then took a breath. He walked slowly to the living room's couch, "Like I said, you made a mistake. Mistakes have consequences."

"But-!"

Edward sat down, and shut his eyes. "I once made a mistake, a very big one. It almost cost my brother his life."

Naruto went silent.

"He's fine now, of course," Edward continued, opening his eyes again, "At least I'm pretty sure he is. The mistake thankfully, didn't have a fatal end, but it very nearly did have. Because of that, I've learned something important, and I will never make that mistake again. Of course, I wish I never made such an error in the first place, but I did, and one cannot turn back time. So, learn from your mistakes, but never look back. Walk forward. Now that you know what not to do, the future should be better, right?"

"E-E-Edward nii-san!" Naruto exclaimed, then burst out crying.

Edward patted Naruto's back, holding him close until the younger blond finally stopped trying to dry his eyes out. Finally, Naruto pulled away from Edward's embrace, finally looking somewhat normal again. The resigned expression that was so unrecognizable in those expressive blue eyes was finally gone.

"I'm sorry," Naruto said shyly, "But Sasuke told me that the reason you learned medical jutsu is so that you wouldn't have to kill, right? So I'm… I'm sorry I forced you to…"

Edward felt another pang in his chest.

"You didn't," Edward finally said, "You couldn't have forced me. I made my choice. I decided that you were more valuable to me than my standards. I… I realize now that to refrain from killing is probably impossible in this world. Even if I wasn't the one who did the deed, he probably would have still died; after all, he was an escaped prisoner. I'd still like to try my best to avoid killing, but there are some things… that are simply worth protecting at all costs."

"You- I-" Naruto's eyes rekindled with determination, "I definitely won't let this mistake happen again! I'll research seals twice—no, four times as hard, and I'll make sure to double and triple check all my drawings. Don't worry Edward nii-san, I've learned!"

"Good," Edward smiled, getting up from the couch. It looked like Naruto was going to be fine. "Now let's go visit Sasuke, eh?"

Naruto nodded vigorously, "Yeah, let's!"

They did go to the hospital. It turned out that Naruto had been too guilty to visit before and Edward… well, Edward hadn't exactly been emotionally stable. They pushed open the door to Sasuke's room, and Edward felt his own guilt increase.

Sasuke was looking pale and ill, reminding Edward of another incidence in the hospital three years ago. This time though, Edward knew for sure that Sasuke was going to be okay. Still, it didn't excuse the fact that Edward hadn't been there.

Naruto was still for a moment, as if he couldn't believe that Sasuke could look like that, and then he rushed forward to Sasuke's bedside. He bowed his head, apologetic. Edward mused that if Sasuke had been awake, then Naruto definitely wouldn't show this side of himself. Then again, who knew? Naruto was out of sorts today, though it was understandably so.

"I'm… I'm sorry." The blue eyed child said remorsefully, "I made a mistake and it made you— I'm sorry! It's all my fault that you're like this. But—but I won't make it again, definitely not!"

Sasuke's eyes fluttered open, and Edward felt his heart give a thump. Sasuke was okay; perhaps a little tired, but one hundred percent OK.

Sasuke smiled weakly, "You idiot, of course you won't make the same mistake again. Hokage's can't make mistakes, remember?"

Naruto's eyes widened, and Sasuke's flitted shut again. Edward released a breath; Sasuke's momentary consciousness was gone, but now Sasuke was sleeping rather than unable to wake up. And… it seemed like he said the right thing to Naruto.

Naruto's mouth opened and closed, but no words came out. He looked beyond surprised, almost to the point where Edward might have been worried that the younger blond was going into shock. And then, Naruto nodded once, determinedly, before his expression changed into something more familiar.

"Bastard," Naruto grumbled, crossing his arms, "Even the Hokages make mistakes. Heck, the old man makes them all the time!"

_Even the Hokages make mistakes._

Edward felt his breath catch. Unwittingly, the Sandaime's word flittered across his mind; his pained voice, his lined face, his sad expression.

"_Sometimes there is no other choice. Because you see, even if there were some miraculous action we could have made instead of the ones we took, we did not see it then, and so such a choice was never truly available to us in the first place."_

Was that a Hokage who didn't care? No, that was a Hokage who exhausted all other venues before making a decision, but knowing when a quick decision was needed to be made. That was a Hokage who only ever asked about the lives of others, yet so readily shared his experiences when they were needed.

The Sandaime had wanted to comfort Edward, as best as the old man could. He even told Edward a personal story about his life, one that obviously pained him. This… conflicted with Edward's image of the tyrant which sent his best friend to murder his own family. The Sandaime who had so lovingly tried to comfort Edward. The Hokage who had ruthlessly ordered his subordinate to destroy his emotions. Who was the real Hiruzen Sarutobi?

Why did the Hokage care if Edward was experiencing emotional pain, when he so easily ensured that Itachi would have nightmares for the rest of his life? Why did the Hokage go through with the Uchiha Massacre, when his own philosophy was to only make a choice when no others were available? It was almost as if…

Edward stumbled, his mind racing at the implications of what he had just realized.

"Edward nii-san?" Naruto said questioningly, semi-bringing Edward out of his thoughts.

"I'm sorry Naruto, I have to go," Edward breathed out, "Can you… can you stay with Sasuke?"

Hesitatingly, Naruto nodded, and Edward smiled sadly. So it looked like Naruto wasn't quite back to normal after all. A normal Naruto would have complained about staying with an unconscious person, saying that his time could be better spent training. Still, Edward was just going to have to trust that Naruto would eventually go back to normal, when he saw that his mistake didn't really have any long lasting effects.

Well… none that Naruto would know about, anyhow. With one last nod towards the younger blond, Edward slipped out of the hospital, and took to the rooftops. Now, about the Hokage who had tried to help Edward and had ordered the Uchiha Massacre…

It was almost as if they weren't the same person.

Heart thudding, Edward raced towards the place where he had felt the prisoner slip out from. It didn't make sense that the Hokage would wipe out the Uchiha through Itachi- not the kind Sandaime who would share his own locked past in able to make one ninja feel better. It didn't make sense that the Sandaime would torture Itachi thus with half-assed excuses about 'what-ifs'. The Sandaime wasn't the type of man to order something like the massacre. He would rather sacrifice himself than sacrifice his villagers, especially if said villages included children. The Uchiha Massacre was not something the Sandaime would do.

But it was like the Sandaime to cover up for somebody, in hopes that Edward would hate the Hokage instead of getting himself killed by investigating someone over his level. It made sense that the Sandaime would seek to protect someone else from Edward's wrath. That was too much like the Sandaime that Edward had come to know all these years.

That meant… that it was somebody else who was behind the Uchiha massacre. Somebody else who had ordered Itachi to do the horrible deed. The Sandaime had simply wanted to protect that person from Edward— or perhaps protect Edward from that person. If that person could order the ANBU Captain to do something after all, then they must be really really high up. So, for the sake of peace, the Sandaime had decided to take the blame onto himself, knowing that Edward couldn't retaliate against the Hokage.

It all made a terrible sense.

For a moment, Edward just dwelt on the feeling. The horror and frustration that he'd been erroneous. The guilt that he'd wronged the Hokage. He'd even told the Sandaime that his story didn't matter. The very Sandaime who had only been trying to help from the beginning. Edward had thought he had matured, but it looked like he still had a long ways to go.

And then the moment passed— or rather, Edward forced it to pass. He had something more important to worry about at the moment. He would have to apologize to the Sandaime later, but as for now…

Edward's breath caught in his throat as he made it to his destination. He mis-stepped, almost tripping, before he righted himself and continued running across the rooftops. He had finally discovered where the prisoner had originated from. Edward swallowed, and looked around, taking in the familiar surroundings. There was that training field- not far from where he was now- and if Edward continued down this path then he would come to-

The Uchiha Compound.

Black, red, and gold, it hadn't lost its splendor. Edward hadn't seen the Uchiha compound lots: only when he came to bug Itachi or when he had come to help Sasuke… pack. It wasn't familiar to him, and thus he hadn't right away recognized the direction in which the prisoner had been coming, but this… this was too much.

He was sure now.

He had thought that there had been something wrong about the way that the prisoner had escaped—or rather, the place from where he had escaped. Edward knew all the Konoha prisons under the jurisdiction of the Hokage, and the area from which Edward had felt the prisoner's chakra signature emerge was at none of those points. The only thing that had tipped Edward off that it was indeed a prisoner was the sporadic running.

Now… the unknown prison, the Uchiha Compound— it couldn't be a coincidence. Whatever happened at the Massacre three years ago, it would be here that Edward would find some answers.

The golden haired boy entered the ghostly complex, taking care to keep his steps completely silent as he gazed around. This case was complicated, more so than Edward had ever imagined. Slowly, ever so slowly, he walked towards the place where he had felt the prisoner's chakra signature first appear.

A breeze lifted the dust, and Edward froze. He listened, but heard nothing. Something seemed to brush against his ear, and it was all he could do to keep himself from jumped. Slowly, ever so slowly, he reached his hand behind his ear to check what it was… and felt hair. He sagged in relief. Edward didn't believe in ghosts, but he would be lying if he said the place wasn't creepy.

Steeling himself, Edward finally came to the place where he had felt the signature first appear. It was a large house, larger than any other house that Edward had seen. He smiled grimly to himself; he'd figured that it'd be showy. Completely super-villainy to hide something right under the majority of the population's noses. He pushed the door open and…

…saw nothing.

Well, not nothing. He saw furniture and wooden tiles, but nothing of relevance. In fact- wait a minute.

Edward walked up to the small chairs arranged nicely around the wooden table, and peered closely at it. Nothing. He put a finger to the table, and brushed it along the surface. When he brought the finger back up to his face, it had a thin layer of dust on it.

Just a thin layer.

After three years of being abandoned, should the Uchiha compound really only have such a thin layer of dust? Edward of all people knew what an abandoned house looked like, and though this Uchiha house did a good job of imitating it, it still wasn't exactly the same.

Some had been here. Recently.

Edward took a deep breath, then let it out. He looked around, taking in all details possible, and then, Edward cast one of the highest levels of genjutsu he knew how. It wasn't anything on Itachi of course (but then again, when it came to genjutsu, Edward doubted the Hokage could match Itachi) but Edward was sure it was enough to fool several high-level ninjas. If not, at worst the people would just be informed that there was someone who had discovered them, and since Edward was acting on his own, such a consequence was hardly going to cost anyone anything.

After that, he sat down and waited.

The genjutsu he cast made everything look as it did before Edward was in the room- thus, he was effectively invisible. He knew there was a secret in the room somewhere, but Edward wasn't sure if he could find it before he was found out. So, the best way was to wait for the culprit himself to come and reveal the secret.

Edward didn't wait long. Or at least, not relatively. It was only ten o'clock when somebody finally came.

The person moved stealthily, shifting with the shadows and not making a sound as his footsteps landed. He was dressed completely in black, with a mask covering his face. If it weren't for the genjutsu that disrupted the place, Edward wasn't sure if he would have spotted the guy. As it was, it was almost funny watching the man look around warily for intruders, and his gaze going right through Edward.

It was a ninja, it had to be. The movements would not be so coordinated otherwise. Edward held his breath, tense, and put every inch of his control into maintaining the genjutsu. Finally, the ninja seemed sated, and his hand flicked up.

A kunai flew from the man's fingers, nicking something near the chandeliers before falling back down. The man caught it before it could so much as touch the dust on the floor. And then, there was a creaking sound.

Edward sucked in a breath, watching disbelievingly as a whole section of the floor fell away, revealing a set of stairs leading to who knows where. The ninja didn't so much as pause before he darted down the steps, into the darkness. Edward took a second to decide, and then rushed after him.

They descended in complete silence, and when they got to the bottom, there was another rumbling sound. Edward instantly knew that the secret latch had closed, and for better or for worse, he was stuck down here until he found the switch. He couldn't see- not at all, so Edward didn't rely on his eyes. He sensed for the presence of the ninja, and followed that. Soon, they paused again.

Edward heard a telltale whoosh of air that signaled another kunai being thrown –obviously, the ninja was being a lot less careful now that he thought he'd finally gotten to his secret base- followed by the faint crackling of a door being opened. The room was instantly flooded with light.

Edward blinked, then reacted, but it was too late. The ninja he had been following twisted around, letting fly another kunai that had been in his hand and forcing Edward to dodge sideways. The ninja reached for something in his pocket- but Edward was too fast. The blond rushed forwards, chopping at a particularly sensitive nerve on the ninja's neck, causing the masked man to drop forward in an unconscious heap. Edward caught him before the ninja could fall, so that the collapsing body wouldn't make a sound.

He breathed a sigh of relief; well, wasn't that exciting. Slowly, Edward carried the body to a dark corner of the underground room, and quietly deposited him. Then, just in case, Edward casted two other genjutsu on the ninja, one that induced sleep for twelve hours, and one that made his body see-through so that others wouldn't be able to tell he was there. Then, Edward headed back towards the lighted room.

He paused for a moment at the entranceway. Past the door, the corridors were lighted brightly- well, maybe not so brightly, but it was bright compared to the pitch black cavern Edward was standing in. When the ninja had opened the door, he had instantly seen Edward's reflection, dim as it was against the cool stone walls. Edward would have rather had a guide through here, but now that he was finally here, he wasn't going to turn back.

Edward cautiously eyed the place, golden eyes searching for any traps. There were none, as far as he could tell. Whoever had set up a secret base in this place had to be extremely certain that no one would ever find it. Then again, if it weren't for Edward's abilities and the coincidental escape of the prisoner, he doubted he would have ever found this place. He went in.

And an alarm went off.

Edward's eyes widened. How…? Perhaps it was because he didn't do anything that an alarm went off- but it didn't matter, not really. It was obvious the alarm went off because of him, it wasn't a coincidence. His mind raced with the possibilities. He needed to get out of here- now. But he didn't know the switch to open the door from the inside, so how was he going to escape detection…?

Edward narrowed his eyes, and then ran back to the direction he had left the other ninja. He bent down, intent on making the man wake up and force him to tell Edward where the exit was –and then he paused. If… If they'd discovered someone who wasn't supposed to be here had been here, that meant that Edward wouldn't so easily get a second chance to return. But here was the possibility of finding the answers Edward needed, and he _had_ to find out the secret behind the Uchiha massacre, he had to.

Edward quickly took off the ninja's black mask, and tied it around his own face and hair, effectively hiding his identity. Then, he did a quick genjustsu to make himself look like the man- hopefully, doing such a thing would buy him precious seconds if it ever came down to a fight.

Then, Edward ran inside the lighted corridor.

Semi closing his eyes, Edward sensed for the chakra signatures of ninjas. He instantly felt the blazing chakras of various people, and wondered how he could have missed them before. It seemed as if something in these walls had stopped him from sensing anything- or rather, it made the signatures so weak that Edward thought they were civilians. Edward searched for one that didn't seem to be moving- those were usually the scientists or the leader. Either one was good enough for Edward. To his surprise, he found that it was the weakest signature of all. Scientist then?

Edward quickly turned, and made his way towards the signature. It was surrounded by a few strong ones, but that was all. Edward was pretty sure he could handle himself.

Finally, he made it to a large stone door, beyond which he could sense five signatures. Edward took a breath, readied himself, and slipped on his gloves. Then, he smashed open the door. Four kunais were instantly thrown at him, all aimed towards different parts of his body, but Edward was already moving. He couldn't avoid them completely –they were too well coordinated- but Edward was not the second best medic in the world for nothing. He shifted his body, allowing the kunai to hit- but only in the non-vital areas.

Then, he quickly ducked, as a sword swung his way, intending to take off his head. Another sword aimed towards his belly, but Edward was already forming seals, and soon a huge gust of wind ripped through the air, forcing his two assailants to step back. Taking a breath, Edward clapped his hands together, and pushed them to the floor.

Even as he did so, he quickly took in the fact that four of the five people were wearing animal masks. ANBU? But no, they couldn't be. They looked different from ANBU somehow; their kanatas were different, shorter and tipless. They weren't ANBU. Then… Edward would have no inhibitions.

The last person… had a large bandage around his forehead, extending all the way to cover his right eye. He was an old man, with a cross shaped scar on his chin, and right arm in a sling. Still, he was standing regally, observing Edward's battle with a cold a calculating eye. Edward felt a moment of hesitation; was this really just a scientist?

But, he had no time to think it out. Spikes erupted from the floor, formed by the unique stone that was found here and just a little help from alchemy. Edward's mind was on the battle again, and he couldn't help a little grin from making its way up his lips; he had correctly guessed the elements of this stone, then.

The ANBU copycats jumped back, surprised, and Edward took this moment to form his long sequence of handseals. Taking a breath, he forced his chakra into the spell, twisting reality and bending it to his will. The ninja wavered, and Edward took this moment to strike. He reached inside his robes, and flung out several senbon at once. None of them were aimed at vital places, but they would put out the ninja for a good amount of time. Captured by the genjutsu, none of the ninja made so much as a voice of protest as they dropped to the ground, made unconscious by Edward's deadly aim.

That is, except-

"That was a good genjutsu," The old man complimented, clapping his hands mockingly. The senbon Edward threw at him was uselessly on the floor, having been deflected by the man as soon as it was thrown.

Edward narrowed his eyes. There was obviously more to this old man then met the eye. He shifted warily, making sure to make no openings, "My genjutsu clearly wasn't good enough if it didn't affect you."

That genjutsu was one that took a lot of chakra to perform, and exceptional control on top of that. It was possibly the best one in Edward's arsenal. Of course, Edward wasn't a genjutsu master, but he thought it should have at least distracted experienced ninja for long enough for him to get a hit in- it worked for the other four ninja, after all.

"It is not your genjutsu that is at fault," The old man said blandly, his head cocking, "But I don't suppose you're here to talk about the ninja arts. Tell me, why are you here, and how did you find this place? Did Hiruzen set you up for it?"

Hiruzen? That was the Hokage's name. Which meant… that whoever this was, they weren't working for the Hokage. Otherwise, the Sandaime would have no reason to investigate it.

"I found it because I have a special ability," Edward replied, "But no, I wasn't sent here by the Hokage. I was actually more interested in why this base would be under the Uchiha compound."

The old man's gaze sharpened, "So you were willing to disobey the Hokage? Surely at the time, you couldn't have known that this place was not one of Hiruzen's secret bases."

"It seems like I'm not the only one willing to disobey the Hokage," Edward said testily.

"So you admit it then," The old man smiled proudly, his scar making his smile seem somehow scarier than having no expression at all. "Very well, I would like to see the face of my mysterious pursuer. Would you take off your mask?"

It was at that time that Edward realized that he still had the black mask wrapped around his head. Almost sheepishly, Edward unwrapped the cloth, shaking out his braided golden hair as he did so. The old man's eyes narrowed.

"You are… Edward Elric." The old man said, saying the name slowly, "No wonder your genjutsu managed to take out four of my best men… you have performed it so well that even Itachi Uchiha would be proud."

_What?_

"What do you know about Itachi?" Edward demanded, harshly.

The old man regarded Edward with disinterested eyes, "You were Itachi's best friend, were you not? It is only reasonable you would be curious. The old codger hid it well, but my men can find out anything in the Hokage tower."

Golden eyes narrowed, "The Hokage is not so easily tricked."

"Are you sure about that?" The old man replied with a raised brow, "Yes, I will admit that Hiruzen is not an idiot, but he is much too soft. He will lead Konoha to its downfall."

Something about the way he said it- something… and then, everything fell into place.

"You-" Edward almost stumbled over his words, they were so insane. But, but everything made sense. The Hokage's contradicting actions and the evidence that Edward himself found. Itachi's choice and the Uchiha's destruction. Sasuke's survival. Edward hadn't just found a random scientist, he'd actually– "You're the one who ordered Itachi to wipe out the Uchiha."

The old man blinked, slowly, then smiled. "Yes, I was. You aren't dumb, are you? Hiruzen would not do it, but I knew action needed to be taken."

"Then you- you're the one who forced Itachi to-" Edward took a breath, "Who are you?"

"Danzo Shimura," The old man replied with a sharp smile.

Danzo… Edward recognized that name. How could he not? Danzo was a war hero, an apprentice of the Nidaime Hokage. A council member of the highest order, and the one who had front lined the assault on Naruto being turned into the living weapon of Konoha. And now, he was also the one who had ordered the Uchiha massacre. Edward snarled.

Danzo sneered, seeming to sense Edward's thoughts, "Action needed to be taken. Surely _you_ can understand that? Itachi understood the concept well. I would have expected his best friend to be the same."

"I'm not Itachi," Edward said, his hands fisting at his sides.

"No," The old man said considering, "You aren't. But, your skills are just as good as. That genjutsu like I said, was very impressive. Avoiding the attacks of my four best was no easy task either, and to have trained under Tsunade herself! Tell me, do you care about Konoha? Hiruzen's methods are too soft- too undecided. One needs decisive actions to achieve any sort of results. Surely you can see that?"

Edward hesitated, thinking over what the old man had said. It was true that the Sandaime was wishy-washy, and more often than not his peaceful methods just made the situation worse because they weren't forceful enough. One only had to look at the situation with Naruto to understand- wait! What was he thinking? It was true that sometimes Edward was wary of the Sandaime's actions, but he more often than not completely agreed with them. Why was he considering betraying the Hokage?

Danzo narrowed his eyes, "You… never mind, just think over what I've said. I don't mean Konoha harm; I don't even mean your charges harm, though most council members do. I could stop that. I only want what is the best for everyone. Itachi's fate was regrettable, but he brought it onto himself. He had a chance to live peacefully in Konoha, but he instead chose to let young Sasuke have the privilege. Wherever he is now, he got there by his own choice; I forced him to do nothing."

That… was true. Edward hated to agree with it, but what Danzo said wasn't false. Itachi could have chose _not_ to murder the Uchiha clan; he could have chose to go to the Sandaime about it and the order would have been nulled. Edward was sure of it. Plus, even if Itachi did go through with the murder, with no witnesses, Itachi could have easily made up some story about how he was away on a mission and he wasn't there…

Danzo seemed to sense Edward's hesitation, because suddenly he smiled. It was not a warm smile, but somehow… a welcoming one. "See Edward, such things happened not because I forced them to. All unfortunate fates occurred because of Hiruzen's soft teachings. If Hiruzen were simply a little stronger, the Uchiha would have never thought of rebelling. Then, Itachi would not have been forced to commit such a horrible act, would he? Think about it Edward. Supporting me will be like supporting Itachi."

Like… supporting Itachi? Wasn't that what Edward had always wanted to do? Wasn't that why he took in Sasuke and travelled the world? Wasn't that why he was risking his life down here trying to find the truth? This old man… this powerful council member… was offering all that to him…

Edward smiled ruefully, and opened his mouth to agree to the man's proposal. It did seem to be the best solution. Besides, it wasn't so different from his situation with the Hokage; working for their mutual benefit. Danzo would get Edward's skills, and Edward would be able to help Itachi and his new home. Really, it wasn't a bad deal…

And then it hit him.

Edward's eyes narrowed, and he took a step back, golden eyes following the old man warily, "What are you doing to me?"

Danzo's smile looked like steel, "What do you mean?"

"Don't try to deny it," Edward snarled, one hand itching towards his senbon needles, "This proposition… my thoughts towards it… is completely unlike me. Why do I feel the need to agree with you?"

Grey eyes narrowed, and Danzo's unbandaged hand reached towards his neck as if sheepish, "I suppose I shouldn't insult you by pretending I have no idea what you're talking about. Very well, I shall tell you…"

Edward gritted his teeth; there it was again, that controlling presence. He fought against it –and at the same time Danzo moved. His hand slammed down on the slab of stone he had been leaning against, and then the whole wall gave way. Danzo was moving down it in a second, and with a curse, Edward started after him.

He raced down the secret passage, wondering how in the world a crippled old man was so fast. Then again, the Sandaime could defeat Edward in his sleep, and Edward was pretty sure the Hokage was ancient. In what seemed like seconds, the passageway fell away, revealing a large room that was lit with an unknown source. As soon as Edward stumbled out of the passageway, the door to it banged shut, trapping him within. Edward's eyes narrowed.

The room was big, almost twice the size of the house Edward had bought. There were… _trees_ growing in it. Danzo had just arrived at the other side of the room, and he was turning to face Edward with a bland expression on his face. His right arm –the bandaged one—was hissing, white smoke rising out of it as if it were set on fire.

Edward took a step forward, ready to stop the man before he did something weird, but then something completely unexpected happened. The bandage on the old man's hand split, and then fell to the floor with a loud _thunk_. Edward tensed, realizing that the 'bandage' was made of solid metal.

But what the bandage revealed was what really made his heart stop.

Eyes. Numbers and numbers of red eyes, protruding and bulging from the man's arm. The pupils danced about wildly, as if desperately seeking for an escape. The skin around the eyes were wrinkled and swelled up, seeming as if they were trying to force their way into the body.

Edward felt sick to his stomach; despite everything that he had seen, both in Amestris and Konoha, this one took the cake. The sight was unbelievably disgusting, and- And then it hit him. Edward gasped, and suddenly an image of another abomination, another life lost because of the want of power overwhelmed him. A dog and a girl, a desperate father. Nina…

Golden eyes narrowed, "You… you wanted the Sharingan."

"So you realized," Danzo said dispassionately, testing out his arm, "Well, I can't say I'm surprised. It's a shame that you didn't just go along with the Mind Bending Will though; then, you wouldn't have to die."

"The Mind Bending Will…?" Edward said to himself, trying to figure out where he had heard that term before, "Wait, wasn't that-?"

"Correct," Danzo smiled, reaching for his head wrap, "It was Shisui's technique. Most useful."

"Then- then you were the one who-"

"He found out you see," Danzo said neutrally, "He could not be left alive. Much like you, I imagine. Too curious for his own good. Cared too much about his 'friends' for his own good."

"There's no reasoning with people like you," Edward said disgustedly, clapping his hands together.

Danzo smiled sharply, "Do you think you can beat me because you have defeated four of my guards? Please. Youngsters these days are much too arrogant. Your skill is good, yes, otherwise I would not be using my right arm to deal with you, but I doubt that you will manage to even land a scratch on me."

"We'll see then," Edward replied, and slammed his hands against the floor.

Spikes erupted from the ground where Danzo stood, forcing Danzo to jump off the ground. A large jagged crater formed at the area, the stone leaving the ground to weave after Danzo. Edward didn't give him any quarter; forcing his spikes to twist upwards towards Danzo. The old man put his hands together, forming a variety of handseals which signalled…

Edward smiled; perfect. He quickly stopped his alchemy, one hand forming a variety of handseals while the other reached into his pockets, just as Danzo released his wind jutsu, blowing himself away from Edward's spikes. Then, Edward threw.

Fire wrapped around his kunai as they raced towards Danzo, the wind that Danzo had created making the fire burn all the brighter. Following the kunai was Edward, who was racing towards Danzo with chakra-enhanced speed. Edward had specifically aimed for four different areas that surrounded the old man, so that if the old man wanted to dodge, the only way he could go was—

Danzo went left, but Edward was already there. He delivered a kick to Danzo's head, already shifted in the taijutsu technique he had developed over the last two years. Danzo seemed to realize that something was different about Edward's fighting style, because immediately dodged, not even trying to meet Edward's foot.

Edward followed with a punch, not letting up for a second as he rained blow after blow towards Danzo. Danzo held his own, not once getting hit, but at the same time not able to return any of Edward's blows. Finally, Danzo snarled, and Edward suddenly got a very very bad feeling.

Edward jumped backwards, and just in time too. Wood erupted from Danzo's shoulder, blade thin and lightning fast. The edge even seemed to glint in the artificial light. It sliced the air where Edward's head had just been.

The small reprieve was all Danzo needed. Danzo jumped towards one of the nearby trees, swiftly placing a hand against the trunk. Instantly, the tree seemed to become a monster, the branches stretching and whipping towards Edward like a shark that had smelt blood.

Edward dodged… which was about easy enough until fifteen other trees joined the first one. Slowly, ever so slowly, the trees were forcing him towards the spikes he had made earlier, making it even harder to dodge. Sooner or later, he was going to get hit by the blade-like branches.

Trees… tch, it was a good thing he planned for this.

Edward quickly formed some handseals, and just as he simultaneously ducked the branch of one tree and slid his body around the branch of another, he released his jutsu. Lightning arched along the tree branches, forcing Danzo to quickly let go of the tree he had been holding onto to avoid being shocked. But Edward wasn't done yet. He quickly followed up his lightning jutsu

"Wind Release: Tattered Remains." Edward murmured, following up his lightning jutsu with a B-ranked wind technique. The winds howled, and ripped through the trees around him, shredding the solid trunks like paper. Danzo leaped backwards, using chakra to enhance his jump, just avoiding the wild winds.

Edward didn't hesitate for a moment. Just as Danzo leapt, Edward formed another long sequence of handseals. The winds gave him time. Then, he took a few steps to the left, and slammed his hands down into the crater which he had formed earlier, and water seeped in rapidly from the ground. The winds finally died down, and at that moment, the crater had turned into a lake.

Danzo landed just as Edward finished, and in another second dozens of kunai were being thrown towards him. Edward half shut his eyes in concentration, and a wall of water erupted from the lake in front of him, significantly slowing down the kunai and giving Edward the time to dodge them completely.

When the water fell again, Danzo and Edward stood staring at each other, appraising. Edward took that moment to regain his breath, though he didn't show that to Danzo. He didn't have a wind affinity, so to make something that destructive, he had to put a lot of chakra into the wind and lightning jutsu both. Added to that, sucking water out from the surrounding ground and forcing it into one place was no easy task. But, he had now evened out the battlefield, and in fact it was now in his favour; the only trees left now were the ones at the fringes, and Edward now had a sixty meter radius to work in. Added to that, the lake in which he had been planning for in the beginning…

"I see," Danzo murmured. His voice and face were calm, but his body language told a whole different story. He was angry that Edward had destroyed his field, and even perhaps… wary? "You have a water affinity."

"And you can use Wood," Edward replied flatly, "And here I thought it was an ability preserved for the Shodaime. Then again, with the Sharingans on your arm, I shouldn't have been surprised."

Danzo narrowed his eyes, "Would you like to see what these Sharingans _do_?"

Edward grinned, showing all teeth, "I was waiting for that, yes. I wanted to see what you destroyed the Uchiha for."

"Still so arrogant," Danzo sneered, "Well, I suppose some of it is well placed. To think I'll have to use _that_ technique against you though… well, this fight shouldn't last more than sixty seconds."

"So we're done with the foreplay then?" Edward asked, cracking his knuckles, "Good."

And then, they moved.

Danzo flashed through a series of handseals almost faster than the eye could see, and Edward did so too. He was flitting through and discarding the jutsus that he knew wouldn't work on the old man. Finally, he narrowed his eyes; against an opponent who could throw off an A-rank genjutsu, Edward would have to use deadly force if he wanted to stand a chance of winning.

"Earth Release: Exploding Earth!"

"Water Release: Advent of the Dragon!"

Edward leapt from the ground as the earth beneath him exploded, sending a shower of shrapnel his way. At the same time, a huge dragon shape arose from the water, and flew towards Danzo. Both techniques were unavoidable, and both would have to be either blocked with a higher amount of chakra or by the sacrifice of flesh. Edward chose the latter.

He twisted, trying to let the shrapnel hit the flesh of his body rather than the important organs. Still, he could not avoid them all. Edward gritted his teeth as the rocks and stray twigs tore through him; their velocities would allow nothing less than holes in his flesh. Even as he did so however, his focus was never off Danzo, who had just been hit by the water dragon. And then, Danzo's chakra signature seemed to disappear.

Edward's eyes widened, just as he felt a presence behind him, and a kunai ripped through his heart. Edward's body jerked, then liquefied, the water that had made up his body running back towards the lake. Behind him, Danzo tensed, but by then it was too late. A large spike had erupted from the ground, spearing Danzo in two.

Again, Danzo's chakra signature flickered, and then his body's image disappeared.

Hidden by one of the few trees which remained, the real Edward's eyes narrowed. He had switched himself with a clone the moment that his wall of water went up, but he had known that Danzo did not do the same. Otherwise, he would have felt it. The Advent Dragon was an A-class jutsu that ensured KOs, so how had Danzo managed to survive unscratched…?

Just then, Edward felt a build up of chakra around him. Swearing, Edward quickly ran through a series of handseals, just as the tree he had been perching on exploded. Edward's body however, was propelled away, a large gust of wind sending him flying just before the shrapnel could tear through him.

Even as he was flying, his mind was calculating. Danzo's chakra signature was… smaller. Some of it could be attributed to the jutsu he had used, but not all of it. Something was going on —possibly to do with Danzo's ability to escape death— and Edward was going to find out what.

Edward didn't waste any time. Immediately he released a handful of senbon, all towards the place where he now felt Danzo. Danzo dodged, and Edward landed in a crouch. Immediately, Edward bit his thumb, making one single handseal as he slammed his hand against the ground, "Summoning Techinque!"

Katsuyu appeared in a puff of smoke, "So I'm— oh, Edward-dono, what is it that you require of me?"

"Acid, now!"

Katsuyu bobbed her head, and zeroed in on Danzo, "Understood… Tongue Tooth Sticky Acid!"

Danzo's eyes widened, ever so slightly, as the dull orange paste landed on him. It was the slugs' best attack; almost completely unavoidable and deadly. Edward narrowed his eyes, and concentrated. At that moment, he felt Danzo's chakra disappear, and reappear a few meters away, once again having experienced a significant drop. Edward leapt towards the old man, just as Danzo too slammed his hand to the ground, also summoning a creature from the neatherrealms.

Edward didn't pay attention to it, trusting Katsuyu to take care of it. And then, Danzo did something unexpected. He made the release sign.

What…?

But the elephant-like creature didn't disappear. Edward narrowed his eyes; did Danzo make a release sign just to confuse him or was it something else…? Just then, the elephant creature opened its mouth, and _sucked_. And then, it pointed its trunk towards Edward and Katsuyu, and _blew_.

Edward cursed, and he quickly tucked his body into the most manageable form as the winds from the summon hit him. Edward flew backwards, somersaulting in the air in able to land with the wind. Katsuyu wasn't so lucky. She was literally blown to the other end of the room, disappearing with a puff of smoke as she landed.

Golden eyes narrowed, and Edward once again raced towards Danzo, this time with his hands clapped together and circles spinning about in his head. Danzo's summon once again sucked in a breath, and Edward slammed his hands to the ground.

Danzo's eyebrows furrowed in realization, but by then it was too late. Mini pieces of metal erupted from the place where the summon was sucking from, piercing the creature as they gained force through the wind ability. With a loud cry, the creature dispelled. Danzo quickly formed three handseals. Rabbit. Boar. Ram. But they did nothing.

Well, all the better for him then. Edward took off. Within seconds he was on top of Danzo, aiming a kick at Danzo's left arm. It was then that he noticed Danzo's right arm. Four of the Sharingan eyes were closed. Just then, another Sharingan eye closed.

Edward's eyes widened. He did quick calculations in his head, even as continued on his assault. That was… sixty seconds. Exactly. Was it possible that…?

And just then, Danzo was hit by Edward's taijutsu.

Once again, Danzo's form blurred, and his chakra disappeared. When it reappeared a moment later, Edward quickly shifted his body to the left, just narrowly avoiding a kunai to the heart as Danzo somehow appeared behind him. Edward reacted with a roundabout kick, all the while counting silently in his mind. Fifty-six, Fifty-seven, Fifty-eight, Fifty-nine…

Sixty! Another eye closed.

Edward did quick calculations. It seemed that every sixty seconds, a Sharingan eye closed in exchange for Danzo's seeming immortality. Danzo had said something about Sharingan techniques, could this be it? But it had definitely been more than five minutes since Part II of their fight had started, so how come only five of Danzo's eyes were gone…?

And then, Edward remembered the three handseals. Even as he attacked, he couldn't help but scrutinize everything that Danzo had done so far. He made the release sign when he summoned his creature, and made three handseals which seemed to do nothing. Edward quickly did the time calculations again, this time subtracting the time when their summons had fought. It fit perfectly.

Danzo could release and activate when he was using his immortality technique, and when using it, it cost him a Sharingan eye every sixty seconds. It also cost him a lot of his chakra. That meant… that Edward just had to keep forcing Danzo to use the technique, and eventually Danzo would just lose out of chakra exhaustion.

They fought hand-to-hand for a little while longer, before Danzo seemed to finally grow tired of it, Danzo growled, and once again the wood blade erupted from his shoulder. This time though, Edward was prepared for it. As soon as he felt Danzo's chakra take the slightest of dips, Edward leaped backwards, hands going through handseals faster than the eye could see, and then took a breath. A fireball spewed from Edward's mouth, point blank range. The wood on Danzo's shoulder caught fire, and Danzo's body flickered yet again.

This time, Edward leapt up, and used the few precious seconds between Danzo's reappearances to pull out the kunai which had been embedded in him before. Quickly, Edward healed the wound, just as Danzo's presence announced itself again with a build up of chakra.

Reacting quickly, Edward used a C-class wind jutsu to blow himself out of there, just as fire consumed the place where he once had been. Edward rolled in the air, landing near the lake he had made with a jutsu already on his lips and a piece of paper clasped tightly in his hands.

He sent a large jet of water towards Danzo, counting another sixty seconds. Then, Edward pressed the piece of paper against the water jet and watched added his life force into it. It was a only a C-rank jutsu; despite Danzo draining his chakra like a sink, Edward wasn't exactly in top form either. The jutsus he had used so far had been far too demanding; it was time to start using his brains.

Danzo's eyes narrowed at the unassuming water blast, and quickly made some hand seals before slamming his hands to the ground, obviously expecting a trap. He wasn't wrong. A wall arose from the ground in front of him —a B-rank jutsu, if Edward remembered correctly— and it should have been enough to stop the water jutsu. It wasn't, however.

The 'water' melted through the earth wall, and the last thing Edward saw before Danzo disappeared again was wide grey eyes and a bubbling body. Edward had previously drawn an alchemy circle on a piece of paper which turned water into clear toxin; a vicious method to be sure, but a useful one. He had made sure he could heal the damage made by the poison, but Danzo didn't need to know that. Thus, Danzo had disappeared the moment he felt that Edward's jutsu wasn't made from water.

Edward wasn't wasting time. He already had his hands in the alchemy position, awaiting the next time Danzo appeared. He wasn't disappointed.

Danzo appeared at his side, and this time Edward didn't hesitate. A kunai pierced through Edward's leg, but Edward grabbed onto Danzo's arm. And then, he released the destruction phase of his alchemy. Another sixty seconds had passed. (8 gone)

Danzo's body flickered yet again, and Edward took this moment to yank Danzo's kunai out of his leg…

And then he realized it.

At that moment, Danzo reappeared again, far away this time, hands going rapidly through seals. Edward was in shock for a split second, before he quickly revised his plan, and leaped into the water. Whatever jutsu Danzo had released missed Edward completely, obviously only aimed towards the surface of the ground. Edward wasn't happy about that though.

Quickly, he formed the handseals for the Advent Dragon technique, and released it towards the place where he felt Danzo. He felt most of the chakra he had left disappear, but it couldn't be helped. He had underestimated Danzo, overestimated himself. But he wasn't Tsunade's apprentice for nothing.

Edward floated to the lake's surface, and took out a little green bottle just as he felt Danzo's chakra signature disappear. Then, quickly, before Danzo could reappear again, Edward uncapped the bottle and shot the liquid down his throat. At that moment, Danzo appeared on the surface of the water, aiming a kunai at Edward's head.

Edward threw his green bottle upwards, intercepting the kunai and just barely giving Edward enough time to roll out of the way. He clapped his hands together and threw his body towards Danzo's, but Danzo knew about Edward's close combat abilities this time and leapt even further away. That was fine. It gave Edward time for…

He quickly finished his sequence of handseals, and released his jutsu. Another tide of water rushed towards Danzo, making the old man hiss and counter with a fire jutsu. Another sixty seconds passed. Danzo only had one eye left. It was time.

Edward dipped his hand into the water, and pulled out a long thin blade. Every element had its own blade, with its own special properties. Water wasn't the most powerful, but it was the most versatile, and that was what Edward needed against Danzo.

The golden eyed boy leaped towards the Danzo, and Danzo leaped back. But this time, Edward wasn't aiming directly for Danzo—not right now at least. He landed fist-first, Tsunade's famous punch in use. The ground around him cracked, creating a large crater that included the space where Danzo would land as well. Edward had seen many of Danzo's leaps, and he knew more or less the distance the old man could go.

Danzo landed slightly disoriented, and Edward took this chance to overtake the old man, whipping his water blade towards the old man. Danzo didn't even try to avoid it; he just took out a kunai, and spewed fire onto it. It looked like Danzo was readying himself for the final blow as well. Fifty-one, Fifty-two, Fifty-three…

The water blade hit, hissing as it bit through flesh. It wasn't exactly sharp, but it wasn't made out of normal water either; the properties of the water changed once it was infused with chakra. Danzo's body disappeared once again.

Edward closed his eyes, concentrating. And just then, he felt Danzo's presence, to his right! Edward willed the direction of his blade to change, and _felt_ his blade enter flesh… just as he felt himself being pierced by Danzo's blade. He had managed to shift his body at the last second, but Danzo's flame kunai had still destroyed a lung.

"It looks like you miscalculated," Danzo smiled, his face grotesque. He didn't seem to care about the water blade that was sticking through him like a pig, nor about the fact that his flesh around said blade was melting. "I still have one eye left."

Edward coughed up blood, and smiled, "No… I calculated it perfectly."

"What are you…" And then, Danzo's eyes widened with realization, "Why… why isn't Izanagi working?"

"Is that what you're technique is called?" Edward said weakly as he pulled away. He fell to the floor, hacking, but he didn't care about that. He just needed to conserve energy right now; he could heal later.

Danzo also fell to the floor, the gaping hole in his body allowing him to do little else. Disbelievingly, Danzo stared at his arm, which was starting to blur before his eyes.

"Genjutsu…" He murmured.

A genjutsu that had to be timed perfectly, or else Danzo would have noticed it. Edward had calculated perfectly.

"I. Win." Edward said. Even though his body ached, his muscles trembled, he was definitely in better condition than Danzo. Plus, he was a medic, and now he could finally get rid of that nasty poison that Danzo had coated his kunais with…

And just then, Danzo's body disappeared.

Edward's eyes widened. _What…?_

And then, Danzo's chakra signature appeared again, a few meters behind him. Edward turned, just in time to see a massive amount of wood rush towards him, the source being Danzo's shoulder. Edward tried to react, but he was too slow. His body was too worn out. The wood reached him, binding him tightly and making him unable to move.

Slowly, ever so slowly, Danzo walked towards him.

"No," The elder snarled, ripping off the rest of his bandaged to reveal a permanently closed eye. "_I_ win. But I do not feel like I've won, do you know why? Because you've cost me everything you stupid boy! You've cost me everything I've worked towards these past six years. Even Shisui's eye —Shisui, whom I personally murdered— even his eye is gone because of you!"

Edward's stomach dropped. He had forgotten about Shisui's eyes when he had been calculating how much Sharingans Danzo could use. He had forgotten and… he should not have.

Danzo stopped in front of him, taking out a kunai and raising it high over Edward's head. He looked impassive now, the moment of passion gone as quickly as it had came. Danzo it seemed, was not an emotional man.

"Then again," Danzo said contemplatively, "Perhaps your death is a fair trade for my eyes after all."

Fair trade? How could that be? As far as Edward knew, Danzo hadn't cared about his existence until he came barging into the old man's base. Since they were both Konoha nin, it wasn't like Danzo could get any secrets or bounty out of Edward either. The only way Danzo could possibly benefit from Edward's death was…

Edward felt his heart give a loud thump. His two charges.

Naruto and Sasuke, both were desirable. Naruto, as a living weapon, and Sasuke, because—

And then, with a sinking feeling, Edward realized something. Sasuke had the Sharingan.

Surely… surely Danzo would not hurt Sasuke because of Itachi? But… but Edward had destroyed all of Danzo's Sharingan, and with no more Uchiha, how was Danzo to get more? Only. Through. Sasuke. Edward felt like everything he had done today was a mistake, one that would only affect the ones that he cared about.

If he died, Sasuke wouldn't be safe, and it would be because of him. Naruto… Naruto wouldn't be safe either. He was the nine-tails, and no one cared for him. And Danzo wanted the nine-tails. If Naruto's guardian died from mysterious circumstances, even the Hokage wouldn't be able to stop the harping council.

Edward's heart grew cold. He couldn't— couldn't allow this. No matter what.

"Any last words?" Danzo said, coldly.

Edward swallowed, closing his eyes and hating himself for the words he was about to say next. But he needed to say them, because— because— otherwise… "Don't do it. Don't kill me because… because I'm now willing to work for you."

* * *

A/n: Ugh… this chapter was so long. I won't be writing something this long again. Think of it as a New Years special (plus, you guys have waited a while for this one). Man, I think I hate writing these 'first kill' scenes (I won't do it again for this fic I hope), they always bring such extreme reactions, and I'm not sure if I got it right. Anyway, HAPPY NEW YEAR!


	17. VII

A/n: Edward is not Itachi. Even if he works for Danzo, his attitude will definitely be… different. I just can't see him as being the respectful type. In Edward's mind, it's 'as long as I get everything done, it should be alright', and Danzo also realizes that if Edward were to go through any severe emotional change, Hiruzen would notice.

Danzo is I think, in some ways the 'perfect ninja'. I don't think he'd take Edward's fight with him personally; that was one thing, but now that circumstances have changed, they can be allies (or boss-subordinate, I guess). Even if Danzo's flipping mad about Edward destroying his sharingans, he can't help but respect Edward. Anyway, it was fun writing him :)

Chapter 7- And In the Years that Passed…

Danzo's eyes scanned the gardens of the small house, taking in every detail. The field was large, and brunt hash marks of intense taijustsu training. Green grass grew everywhere but the lack of flowers told Danzo that the inhabitants of this house were not the ones who ensured the richness of the grass- no, that was due to Fire Country's own unique weather patterns.

The small house also told Danzo a number of things, chiefly among them that the person he was going to visit was rich enough to afford one. But then, Danzo already knew that. Apartments were plenty in Konoha, but houses were rare. They required much space, which Konoha's large population couldn't often produce. However, the house was small, which meant that the inhabitants didn't care much towards appearances, and were much more interested in being close to each other than privacy. Good, good, it was what Danzo needed to know.

With a smile that couldn't be called pleasant, Danzo walked up to the door and knocked.

The door swung open, revealing the shining yellow hair and tanned skin of the Naruto Uzumaki, the son of the Yondaime and the jinchuriki of the Kyuubi. As soon as he saw Danzo, Uzumaki crossed his arms, glaring at the old man with a suspicious blue eyed gaze, "What do you want?"

Danzo felt his eyes narrow in spite of himself; ill mannered brat! If Danzo had his way with the Kyuubi, Uzumaki would be no more than a living weapon for Konoha right now. Nonetheless, he cooled his tongue, putting the same restraint onto himself as whenever he spied on the Hokage, "I am looking for your guardian, Edward Elric."

If possible, Uzumaki's eyes narrowed even more, "What do you want with-"

"Naruto." A weary sigh interrupted the blond, and a second later a black haired boy appeared at Uzumaki's side, making an apologetic bow towards Danzo. "I apologize for my companion's behaviour, it's simply that we get too many salesman whom we have no interest in and he suspected you of being one of them. Please, come in."

Ah, so the Uchiha had some manners then. Like brother like brother he supposed. Sasuke was shaping up to be as useful as Itachi was. With a satisfied nod, Danzo walked into the house, ignoring the glare Uzumaki sent Uchiha.

"What are you doing?" Uzumaki hissed, low enough that he probably thought Danzo couldn't hear it, "Why are you inviting a complete stranger into our house!"

"Didn't you feel him?" Uchiha demanded in an equally forceful but quiet voice, "He was obviously not just some random civilian. If I had to guess, he's here to discuss ninja business with Aniki. But even if that wasn't the case, would it kill you to show some manners?"

'Feel' him? Interesting choice of words. It could mean nothing, but Danzo was never one to take chances. Did Elric also teach his special ability to his charges?

"But I don't like him," Uzumaki whined, not even bothering to lower his voice this time, "He gives me the heeby jeebies. I bet he's some super pervert in disguise, and not like the nice ones like Gramps!"

Danzo was looking around the room, but he couldn't help but sneer in disgust at the Jinchuriki's choice of words. _This_ was the son of the Fourth Hokage? Namikaze would be rolling in his grave if he could see the offspring of the Uzumaki witch.

"Naruto!" Uchiha whispered harshly, "Didn't you want to be Hokage? You can't go around offending everyone that comes near you then! If you-"

Just then, Elric walked into the room. Uzumaki and Uchiha instantly stopped talking. Elric glanced at the two, his lips thinning rapidly. Then, he glanced back up at Danzo, a steel fire behind his eyes. Danzo could almost feel the tension in the air.

"I'm sorry to have kept you waiting," Elric said stiltedly, as if the very words taxed him. "I hope my charges weren't too hard on you?"

Danzo smiled nastily. He could read the words behind the lines. _Did you do anything to them?_ The old man shook his head, tsking, "They weren't the best mannered, no, though I suppose Sasuke Uchiha makes up for Uzumaki's impudence. Surely you felt me waiting outside?"

Danzo had come here to discuss certain things. It was the best way. Because of Danzo's power, Hiruzen could not see him using his crystal ball, whereas if Danzo sent any other Root operatives, he ran the risk of catching Hiruzen's eye. That was the last thing he wanted.

He and Elric did not have a chance to discuss much matters yesterday. Elric had spent a majority of the time after the fight giving Danzo his reasons for keeping Elric alive, and when Danzo had finally calmed down, he had agreed with many of those reasons. Danzo knew when to cut his losses and accept new gains; otherwise, he would not be where he was now. Yes, Elric had taken four years of valuable work from Danzo, but that was the past and killing Elric would not bring back Danzo's sharingans. No, Danzo could use a man who could defeat Izanagi.

Elric stiffened, turning his head away. Ah, a sign of annoyance. "I did, but I was hoping that if I ignored it you would go away."

Danzo's eyes became lidded as he inwardly seethed at the blond's choice of words. The insolence! He wanted to maul the research jounin for that, however… however, it would be counterproductive to his plans if Elric were harmed. Besides, Elric was not in Root, and if Danzo did anything too obvious Hiruzen would notice. Hiruzen may have stood for all of Danzo's previous actions, but Danzo knew that if he were to even touch Elric, Hiruzen would kill him. Danzo was not stupid; he knew the looks Hiruzen sent the young blond, almost as if Hiruzen were regarding yet another son.

And Hiruzen would regard his family's life beyond all else.

That was his weakness as a Hokage. Sure, the Sandaime would try to be impartial, but his subtle actions alerted Danzo about Hiruzen's weakness for his family. It was almost a subconscious thing, but even subconscious things were dangerous for a Hokage. And what made it even more perilous was that Hiruzen didn't know it, and one could not guard against things they didn't know. Danzo had tried to warn him of course, but the Sandaime had simply waved off his concerns, believing that the Hokage was in reality unbiased.

The fool.

One only had to look at the Kyuubi Container's situation to see the truth. Konoha's Jinchuriki should have been trained as Konoha's secret weapon, their greatest power. Instead, the Sandaime looked at the demon and saw Minato, and of course the Hokage couldn't bear to use his favourite student's son as Konoha's sacrifice.

"Well then," Elric sighed, turning his back on Danzo and walking briskly towards a room Danzo could only assume to be the study, "Let's get this conversation over with."

Danzo felt a brief flash of annoyance. How dare the Elric brat turn his back on the Root Commander? But then, he reminded himself, it was he who had the advantage. It was he who controlled everything. Elric's manners would be corrected soon. Calming himself, Danzo followed the blond sixteen year old, noting that behind his back, Uzumaki and Uchiha were now both glaring at him balefully.

Danzo ignored it, and walked into the study. He noted that the walls were three inches thick; anything that was said in this room would not be heard outside, even if the eavesdropper was standing right outside the door. There was a round table in the center of the room, with six chairs arranged symmetrically around it. Danzo took a seat.

With a huff of annoyance, Elric closed the door, before finally taking a seat himself directly opposite that of Danzo's.

Danzo slid an arm on the table, making a show that he was comfortable here, despite... "This is reminiscent of Inoichi's design."

Elric's eye twitched, "Yes, I got the idea from him."

"So you don't want Uzumaki and Uchiha to hear this conversation?" Danzo said dryly, "Well, I suppose you have _some_ subtlety. Do tell, are you trying to turn them against me? That could end up... very badly for you."

"Part of our deal was that if I work for you, you'd leave them alone." Elric countered, his mind as sharp as his taijutsu. But then, Danzo had expected that. Still, he had hoped that Elric would be as malleable as Itachi had been. "So it shouldn't be out of order for me to make my dislike for you apparent. I don't want to give them the illusion that you're pleasant to deal with."

Danzo felt his hand spasm, but told himself to control it. He was the one who had control, after all. The old man cooled his voice, looking at Elric as if he were a lower life form, "And do you suppose being hostile towards me would prove to be a real solution? Do you not think it would be more problematic if Uchiha and the Jinchuriki would not listen to one of Konoha's high council members when they become ninja?"

Elric glanced down, muttering. "I was hoping by that time you'd be-"

Suddenly, Elric's expression tightened. His eyes were narrowed in pain, and beads of sweat were forming on his brow. Danzo couldn't see his hands, because they were beneath the table, but he would bet anything that Edward Elric was clutching his left leg right now.

Danzo felt a smirk spread across his face, "What was that?"

"You- the seal-"

"Yes," Danzo crossed his legs, a superior glint entering his eyes, "The seal. The seal I placed on you after our fight will not allow you to feel rebellious towards me. This whole time, you've been feeling a twinge of pain, have you not?"

Elric leant forwards, his hand gripping the edge of the table and an expression of alarm on his face, "That was-?"

Ah, so Elric had figured it out then, if his expression was anything to go by. All the better. Danzo felt a smirk spread across his lips, "Correct. And if you try to articulate those thoughts, the pain will become a hundred times greater."

And to betray him- a thousand times greater.

So really, it was quite impossible to betray him. Not that anyone would have the mind to, anyway. In Root, everyone was a mindless drone, and they knew no one outside of Danzo besides. Still, just in case the odd someone decided that they had found something more important than Root- Danzo's seal on them was set to give them enough pain that they would die on the spot.

Elric blinked, then lowered his head, a bitter chuckle escaping through his lips. "I see now... this is how you control everyone, isn't it? Clever, really clever."

"Well of course; otherwise, how else could I ensure loyalty?" There was no need to mention that Root was almost guaranteed to never betray him. After all, it was how they were conditioned- the members of Root did not know any alternatives, and Danzo would see to it that it remained that way.

"Well I don't know," Elric said dryly, "Maybe try _earning_ it? But your sealing trick- you haven't been straightforward, have you? The people you've used this seal on... At first, they might see you as the enemy, but slowly, because they're not allowed to think bad thoughts about you, they'll start to think of you as a legit ally, won't they? The mind is also a tool that can be fooled. How your seal works isn't to ensure that anyone who thinks of betraying you will die... it's to ensure that nobody would want to betray you in the first place."

"Yes," Danzo replied, his voice equally as dry. He was surprised by Elric's quick deduction —the blond had been one hundred percent correct— but he wouldn't show it. It would lose him the edge in this game, and he did so much like being on top. Of course, he was on top anyhow, but he needed Elric to see that as well. "Still, knowing that will do little to help you."

Elric's grip on the edge of the table tightened, his knuckles turning white with strain. He made an odd, choking noise, but his next words came out quite clear. "You are an old man."

...what?

Elric looked up, grinning. His face was strained, and his voice tense, but his golden eyes burned with an unmistakeable 'screw you'. "I was hoping that by the time Naruto and Sasuke became ninja... you'd already be dead."

Danzo's smirk slipped off his face.

Elric looked as if he were about to scream in pain, but the words had come from his lips nonetheless. It suddenly didn't matter that Elric was panting as if he had received a mortal wound, it didn't matter that Elric wouldn't be able to talk for several minutes- Elric had just proved that Danzo's seal wasn't all-perfect. Was it possible that... no, there was no way Elric could beat the seal. After all, making a personal comment was very different from outright rebellion. Still, it galled Danzo that Elric now thought he had some control. He did not. And Danzo would have to make him realize that.

"How scary," was Elric's first words when he could speak again. A wry smile spread across the blond's face, "I can't even _think_ bad thoughts about you."

Danzo returned the smile, although his was far nastier, "Why would you want to think bad thoughts about me? You aren't by any chance, planning to betray me are you?"

Elric stiffened, turning his head away. But Danzo could see by the set of Elric's jaws that the blond was gritting his teeth. "Of course not."

Not with the current stakes, no. While Danzo was still alive, and while the Kyuubi brat and the last Uchiha were still in Konoha, Edward Elric would never reveal him. Yes, Elric was defiant, but in the end the blond would not betray Danzo's expectations. Elric would fight, and perhaps Danzo would even let him rebel a little, as a parent would let a disobedient child rebel, but Elric would never be in control.

No, it was Danzo who had the leash. The old man leant forwards, placing his elbows on the table and twining his fingers in a manner reminiscent of the Sandaime. "That is good to hear. Then, shall I start on the reason I came here?"

"You mean it wasn't just to taunt me?" Elric muttered.

Danzo felt a flash of annoyance, but quickly pushed it down. Elric's attitude was of no consequence; the blond would regret his behaviour later. "My Root operatives, as you know, are excellent for assassination, but unfortunately they do not blend into society very well. There are some missions that they could never do, but you..."

"No!" Elric's words were out before the blond could possibly even think about it. "I said I'd do some things for you, but I will not assassinate-"

"And I will not force you to." Like a wild dog, Elric had to be handled gently. Elric had hit right-in-one when he said Danzo would rather change a person's way of thinking than force them to do something. Of course, his method for changing a mindset might not exactly be ethical, but still... "All of your missions will not be something you find distasteful. Even I would not force you to do something against your morals."

The last part was said sarcastically.

Edward Elric, Danzo concluded, was as like Hiruzen Sarutobi as Itachi was like Danzo. Elric may just be suited to be in the sun, the balance to the darkness and secrets that people like Itachi and Danzo were accustomed to. Dealing with Elric was wholly different from dealing with Itachi, and perhaps Danzo should not even have tried. Perhaps Elric should not be dragged into the shadows at all.

"There..." Elric's voice was wary, but there was a degree of compromise in there. "There will be no missions which I cannot refuse?"

"Even better," Danzo hummed, "You could change the parameters of a mission. You will be given more freedom than any of my Root operatives; you will be given the ability to conduct the mission as you see fit. Think about it, you could save the lives that you so value. If my Root was to go on a retrieval mission, they might end up killing all witnesses, but you will be able to get away completely undetected."

Elric was swaying to his side, Danzo could see it.

"You're handing me a lot of trust."

"I gave Itachi the same. I may not like you Elric, but even I have to admit your talent. However, you'll have to agree that if you mess up even once, implicate Konoha in any way, all your freedom will be stripped from you. You may still choose the missions you do, but you will not be able to change the instructions. Do you accept these terms?"

Elric finally turned to look at him, golden eyes filled with distrust. But also, Danzo noted, a hope to be able to _believe_. "How do I know you won't purposely mess up one of my missions so that I'll follow all your rules?"

The old man chuckled dryly, "My, my, you're really a paranoid boy. It would be counterproductive of me to disrupt your missions. I do not want Konoha to be in trouble, and I do not care how a mission is done as long as it is done properly. You, I believe, have the ability to do that."

Elric looked at him for a long time. Then— "I still don't trust you."

Danzo smiled.

* * *

Sasuke knew something was wrong with his Aniki.

Ever since the old man had come to visit, Aniki had not been getting any peace. Oh sure he still pretended, and most of the time he succeeded, but Sasuke would catch the moments when Aniki would wince and clutch his head, seemingly for no reason at all. He'd asked Aniki about it, only for it to be waved off as a common headache. Sasuke knew better though; Aniki had never had those 'headaches' in the past.

But… Sasuke was cautious.

Unlike Naruto, Sasuke was very observant to the small details in everyday life (how Naruto managed to be such a genius in fighting Sasuke had no idea). He noticed how assured the old man was of himself, and how nimble his movements were. Sasuke knew that Danzo was dangerous.

Not only that, but influential too. He'd done his research; with a few pointed questions at teachers and requests from fangirls, Sasuke was able to find out exactly who the council member really was. Sasuke was raised as a clan heir after all; he knew political influence when he saw it. Danzo had that by the spades.

So… it was no wonder that even Aniki would be bogged down by the man. Still, even the Hokage treated Aniki respectfully! What right did stupid council member Danzo have to be treating one of Konoha's best ninja so badly?

But the fact was, Aniki was being treated badly, and there was nothing Sasuke could do about it. He wasn't stupid; he knew that some problems couldn't be solved by barging in and demanding a fight. As much as he hated to admit it, he simply wasn't strong enough. He still lost to Aniki each and every time, even with Naruto's help.

If he went against Danzo now…

"Hey Sasuke…" Naruto's voice brought Sasuke out of his thoughts. Sasuke turned, giving a Look to the normally hyperactive blond. They were sitting side by side on a large leather couch, the television yammering aimlessly in the background. It looked like Naruto hadn't been paying attention to the program, either. "Hey Sasuke, Edward nii-san's always so tired all the time now…"

Sasuke actually froze. Really. Had the orange-obsessed idiot figured it out? If so, then the situation was direr than Sasuke could have imagined.

"…do ya think we could help him a little?"

Sasuke blinked, not expecting that. "Help him how?"

"Hm… I know! Let's do his paperwork for him!"

Sasuke relaxed; so Naruto wasn't talking about Danzo. Of course not. Naruto had only been around Aniki for a little over a year after all, so the orange-clad idiot didn't know the older blond's moods. Of course he couldn't see through Aniki's well guarded facades; Aniki was a genius after all, and it was only in rare moments where he actually actively tried to hide something. Naruto not only had to catch Aniki in those rare moments, and then he had to realize that the genius was hiding something. Unlikely to happen.

Of course, Sasuke could always just tell Naruto what was happening, but… but Naruto was exactly what Sasuke was trying to avoid. Naruto was definitely the type of person to just barge in and demand answers, and Sasuke had a feeling that would only make the situation worse. Besides, Sasuke wasn't even sure if he was right, and wouldn't it be embarrassing if he was wrong all this time?

Still… Naruto did have one good point. There were other ways of helping Aniki other than annexing Danzo. But… "Idiot, what if we mess it up? This is the Hokage's important paperwork! There's a reason Aniki was chosen for this!"

"The Hokage? Well, there was no changing my mind now. It was perfect training for when I become the Hokage in the future!"

The black haired boy humphed, then smiled ever so slightly. It actually… wasn't such a bad idea. They could always get Aniki to check their things at first, before they slowly got used to the work. "Whatever… let's get researching then…"

Yes, this was all he could do for Aniki now, but it wouldn't be like that forever. Sasuke would get stronger, and then he'd do something to the old man who'd dared do something to his Aniki.

* * *

Mizuki smirked as he slipped into the forest, seeing his now favourite pupil frantically reading the scroll. Ha, Naruto was too easy to manipulate. All Mizuki had to do, was switch up a few test papers, blunt a few weapons, and even Naruto's jounin level shadow clones couldn't pass the exam. And apparently, that jounin teacher that the Kyuubi brat lived with, as well as the true Rookie of the Year, couldn't cheer him up. When Mizuki had come swooping in with an alternative to graduate, Naruto had jumped at the chance. This was too easy…

Just then, Iruka showed up, "I've found you!"

Naruto looked up from the scroll, a jubilant expression on his face, "Iruka-sensei! Never mind that though, I've learned a really cool jutsu! If I do it, you'll let me graduate, right? Mizuki-sensei said if I got this scroll, then showed you a skill from it, I'd definitely graduate. So watch closely, _**Wind Release**_-"

Mizuki decided it was time to intervene. After all, Iruka was getting suspicious. Rolling the numerous kunai in his hands, he suddenly let them fly, all aimed towards the blond haired brat. Iruka pushed the kid out of the way just as Mizuki had expected him to, getting slammed into tool shed by the barrage.

Mizuki jumped down from his perch on the tree, landing gracefully with one hand, "Nice job finding the moron!"

Iruka glared at him hatefully, causing Mizuki to feel a tinge of sadness. After all, they had been teachers for many years together, and he had come to like the brown haired ninja. Not enough though, to spare his life. Mizuki would do anything, for his quest of power, "Naruto! Give me the scroll!"

"Hun what?" Naruto scrambled to his feet, rolling up the scroll and sealing it as he shot a confused look at the two instructors, "What's going on here? Hey?"

"Naruto!" Iruka shouted, staggering towards the blond, "Whatever happens… don't give Mizuki the scroll! That's a dangerous scroll that has forbidden ninjutsus written inside it. Mizuki used you… to get his hands on it!"

Mizuki laughed softly, also making his way towards the blond, "Naruto… there's no point in you having it. I'll tell you the truth…"

"N-NO! DON'T!"

"12 years ago… you know about the demon fox being sealed, right? Since that day… a special rule was created for this village."

Naruto looked up at him with wide eyes, "A rule?"

"But," Mizuki continued, smirking, "This rule was never meant to be told to you."

"Not to me…? What is the rule? Tell me! What… kind of rule?"

Mizuki started chuckling. Really, he couldn't help himself. "An S-class secret on the pain of death… the rule is that nobody is allowed to talk about the fact that you are the nine tailed demon fox."

"…what?" Naruto stumbled backwards, falling down yet again, "What do you mean?"

"STOP IT!" Iruka shouted.

Mizuki paid his old friend no heed, "It means that you Naruto, are the nine tailed demon fox… that killed Iruka's parents and destroyed the village. You were sealed up by the Hokage you admire and…"

"STOP IT!" Iruka shouted again, but this time there was a flicker of high chakra that accompanied it. Odd, but not overly concerning, so Mizuki continued.

"…you have been lied to by everyone! Didn't you find it odd how everyone hates you? Iruka is the same! He also hates you! If Sasuke and your jounin caretaker knew, they'd also hate you! Nobody will ever love you!" Mizuki charged, unbuckling the two large shurikens from his back and throwing one at a speed that no academy student could deflect, no matter how talented. "That scroll was used to seal you up!"

The humongous shuriken suddenly veered off-course, slamming into a tree trunk. Iruka was leaning over Naruto, looking like he was prepared to take the hit for the brat, so it couldn't have been him. Mizuki's eyes followed the shuriken's path, and saw that laying near his weapon, were a small kunai. His eyes widened; no way, directing something so large so severely off course with only a single kunai would require monstrous precision and…!

"That's quite enough, Mizuki."

Mizuki whipped his head towards the voice, and he wasn't the only one. Iruka and Naruto turned as well, the blond brat's eyes widening in recognition. Mizuki narrowed his eyes. A sixteen year old blond jumped out of a tree, landing with only the slightest bend of his knees. He flipped his braid over his shoulder, and eyed Mizuki with hard, golden eyes. This was the jounin who had visited Naruto during the graduation exam.

A moment later, another figure jumped out, this one landing in a crouch. Brushing the dirt off his clothes, the Uchiha straightened, giving Mizuki a condensing glare. What..? A jounin Mizuki could understand, but how in the world had an academy student managed to conceal his presence?

"Edward nii-san! Sasuke!" Naruto spluttered, his voice surprised. In a moment though, it turned despairing, "Were… were you there the whole time?"

"Tch," Sasuke smirked, "You really are bad at sensing chakra. Why sound so miserable, idiot? Are you upset that we got to see you get beat up so easily?"

"But didn't you… didn't you hear…"

"Oh, you mean the Kyuubi stuff?" Sasuke shrugged, "Well if you really _are_ the Kyuubi, then I can't understand why the Yondaime would seal you. If there's one thing you're good at, it's not being evil."

"I don't… Sasuke you…"

"Naruto!" Iruka shook the blond's shoulders, as if trying to shake sense into him, "You're not the Kyuubi! You're just the container! You're a hero for holding back a monster like that! Don't listen to Mizuki. To me… you are one of my excellent students!"

"Iruka-sensei…" Naruto sniffled slightly, giving Iruka a grateful look. But then, he froze, turning with dread towards the jounin, "Nii…"

"Psht," The jounin snorted, giving the demon brat a devious grin, "I've known you were the container for the Kyuubi since the first day I've met you. But since it was an S-class secret, I couldn't tell you. I've been trying to figure out a way to let you know for a long time… It's kinda nice that Mizuki here has gone and told you everything…"

"You- you-" Mizuki spluttered; he had been played a fool, "You planned this!"

The jounin shrugged lazing, fixing Mizuki with a deadly golden glare, "So what if I did? It's no worse than your plan. But to tell you the truth, I didn't plan on you telling Naruto about the Kyuubi, that was just a nice plus. I only planned on revealing you…"

"Wh-what?"

"Did you think I wouldn't notice? When I compared Sasuke's information on the tests with Naruto's, there were gaping holes. I knew one or both of Naruto's instructors sabotaged him, but I didn't know for what purpose. When Naruto told me what you requested him to do, I knew it was you, but the question was… was Iruka in this too? Plus, we still had to get definite proof, and you gave us enough of that tonight. Don't worry, you were never in any danger of obtaining the real scroll; we'd switched it with one of my training scrolls."

"What?" Naruto gasped, "You mean this was all a trap?"

The jounin shot a slightly apologetic look at the demon brat, but it was Sasuke who talked. The dark haired Uchiha snorted, shooting Naruto a smirk, "You suck at acting. You would have given it away."

"That's- that's-" Naruto huffed indignantly, crossing his arms, "Just because I have a healthy admiration for the truth…"

No… no! This was not going according to plan! It had never been meant to be like this! Mizuki gritted his teeth; no matter, he'd achieve his goal. After all, even jounin had weaknesses, didn't they? Especially since, the golden eyed boy looked like a greenhorn. Mizuki had years of experience over the blond. He leapt towards the sitting Naruto, shoving a surprised Iruka out of the way as he gripped the blond, putting a kunai near his throat, "Give up, or the kid dies!"

The jounin's eyes hardened, "You really don't want to do that."

"I'll do anything!" Mizuki shouted crazily, "Don't underestimate a madman!"

The jounin sighed, putting his hands on his hips in a slightly exasperated manner, "It'll be a good battle experience, I guess."

He knew it! The jounin was nothing more than a greenhorn with no battle experience! Yes, he could do this… he could get out of here alive…! And then, the jounin made a hand signal. Mizuki tensed, awaiting a technique from the jounin, but nothing happened. The jounin smirked, and pointed below him, directly at…

"Hehehe…" Naruto's voice was utterly demonic, "You never did find out what jutsu I learned."

* * *

"Retake it!"

"What?" He had spent painstaking hours thinking up of the perfect pose for the graduation picture, and now the old man wanted him to retake it?

The Hokage sighed, probably guessing his thoughts, "And where is your forehead protector?"

"I'm saving it for tomorrow's ceremony. I don't want to scratch it." Finally his dream of becoming a ninja had come; he didn't want to do anything that would jeopardize a fresh start.

"This ninja registration book, list all the ninja of this village, and their abilities-" What a lot of bull. Edward nii-san had told him that only the Hokage knew the full extent of every ninja's abilities. Otherwise, if an enemy village got a hold of one of the numerous registration books, all of Konoha's secrets would be out. "-this is a very important document, so what's with the face?"

"I thought it was cool…" Naruto grumbled.

Just then, the door creaked open, and a little kid with a ridiculously long scarf jumped through. He landed on one hand, launching himself towards the Hokage, "Fight me Old Geezer!"

Naruto was already in front of the old man, his body in a fighting stance. Sure, the kid's movements didn't seem particularly graceful or fast, but perhaps it was a deception to get the Hokage's guards to underestimate him. After all, somehow the kid had managed to get past all those ANBU, and the old man's face actually looked somewhat worried. That meant that the kid had to be strong right? Well then, as Naruto's first act of being a ninja, he would protect the Hokage!

And then the kid tripped.

…

"Oh no! Not again!" A man with large sunglasses suddenly appeared at the door's entrance, looking slightly haggard. He had a Konoha forehead protector on his head. "Ah!"

"Owww!" The kid moaned, pushing himself up ever so slightly, "Damn it! Who set a trap?"

"Are you alright?" Sunglasses asked worriedly, and then his attention turned to Naruto. Naruto stiffened ever so slightly at the cold glance Sunglasses gave him. Ah, so it was one of _those_ people. The people who hated Naruto for what he contained. The people who Naruto would force to acknowledge him!

Suddenly, the kid's attention turned to Naruto, "Hey… I know you were the one who set a trap!"

What? Naruto had the kid by his scarf in a second, "You tripped over your own feet, you idiot!"

"Hey Naruto!" Sunglasses shouted, "Let him go! He's the Hokage's grandson!"

Naruto looked at the kid, who suddenly seemed a lot more confident despite being in a death grip, then used all his force to bonk the kid on the head, "You really think I give a damn, idiot?"

"Ouch!"

"No way!" Sunglasses.

Naruto huffed, throwing the kid to the floor and turning to the Hokage with a level gaze, "Fine, fine, I'll retake my photo. I get it. See ya later old man."

With one last wave, Naruto skipped out of the office and towards home free home. He passed by an attendant who was rushing towards the Hokage office and muttering something about 'stone', 'chuunin exams' and 'promotion', which didn't quite make a whole lot of sense to Naruto, but then, he didn't really care. The day was perfect and he was going home! Except… someone was following him. Ugh he had enough! "Stop following me, and you aren't fooling anyone with that!"

Honestly, Naruto had done better disguises when he was five! This kid was an idiot!

"Hehe impressive to see through my cover-" What cover? The wood coloured cloth that the kid was using to conceal himself was hardly effective while constantly moving. It only worked when one stayed still; even civilians knew that! "-it seems the rumours about you are true… Hey, I'll make you my boss! And in exchange… please teach me that 'sexy technique' which you defeated gramps with! Please boss?"

People were starting to give him weird looks. Naruto sighed, and beckoned for the kid to follow him. He really didn't want to ruin his reputation by having a bizarre kid follow him around. They walked for a while, until they finally got to a more secluded area.

Naruto began before the kid could. He really didn't want to listen to another rant about seemingly nothing. "Why are you going after your grandpa, all this time?"

The kid kicked at a stone, nearly stubbing his toe, "Grandpa gave me the name Konohamaru… I'm named after the village. And even though everyone knows my name, nobody ever calls me that. When someone is talking about me or calling me… all they see is the Hokage's grandson. No one sees me as me… I'm sick of it. That's why I want the Hokage title."

Naruto felt a trickle of annoyance. "Idiot… who would acknowledge a brat like you? The Hokage title isn't something a little brat could take. It isn't kids' play, moron. You have to be dedicated, hardworking, and willing to put your life on the line. Are you really willing, kid? Plus, being Hokage isn't just being able to beat your grandpa, you have to know politics, organization, and show a constant charismatic face even when you don't want to. Edward nii-san has taught me that much, but can you really do it?"

"I can!" Konohamaru said determinedly, "I will! I will succeed and- wait, did you say Edward nii-san? As in Edward Elric?"

"Yeah?" Naruto asked confusedly, wondering who the heck the kid knew about his nii-san. Perhaps Nii-san was just that awesome?

Konohamaru instantly deflated, "Actually, there is one person who does call me Konohamaru, except instead of seeing me as the Hokage's grandson he sees me as my mother's son. I can tell. He used to visit a lot, but I didn't want to see him anymore. That was… your Edward nii-san."

What?

Naruto hesitated, "No way! Edward nii-san wouldn't see anyone other than who they are!"

Konohamaru glared, "Oh yeah? Wanna bet? Your 'Nii-san' ain't perfect. He treats me just like the rest of the stupid villagers!"

"You're lying!" Naruto shouted, "He took me in when the rest of the villagers wouldn't even look at me! How's that consenting with the norm?"

"I never said he was consenting with the norm!" Konohamaru shouted back, "But every time he came to see me all he could talk about was my mother! And he'd always have this guilty look in his eyes, even I could tell! Do you know how uncomfortable it is to be with a guilty person? Do you?"

Naruto instantly opened his mouth to retort… but couldn't find anything to say. Truthfully, Edward nii-san didn't talk much about his past, and it was that one disaster with the seals when Edward nii-san really said anything. And that anything was enough, quite frankly. Edward nii-san's past sounded bad, and Naruto hadn't really wanted to hear much more of it.

Still… now Konohamaru was making Naruto realize how little he actually knew about his nii-san. He didn't even really know all of the older blond's techniques. Sure, he'd seen quite a few, but he knew that Edward nii-san was always holding back on him. How much… did Naruto actually know about his self proclaimed 'nii-san'?

Naruto shut his eyes, and then snapped them open again. What the heck was with this hesitation? It wasn't like him. The past was the past, and that was that. Edward nii-san was with them now, and that was what mattered. "Pst, don't try to change the topic. I'll talk to Nii-san if that's worrying you. But first… if you want the title of Hokage that badly… then you have to beat me!"

"Ha! I've finally found you!"

Naruto looked up; it was Sunglasses, with his hateful cold gaze. Naruto had learned to endure that gaze, especially with Edward nii-san and Sasuke to help him, but he couldn't forgive what bull Sunglasses was telling Konohamaru. Naruto narrowed his eyes as Sunglasses told Konohamaru about shortcuts to being a Hokage; there were no such things as shortcuts!

Naruto stepped forwards, his hands already in a familiar 'transform' seal. Yes, Naruto could think of a number of ways to fight Sunglasses jounin or not, and Naruto knew that he would eventually win. But… but how much more humiliating for the ninja would it be if… "Sexy Technique!"

* * *

Edward grimaced as blood splattered across his mask, staining the pale green a deep red. This assassination was particular messy; after all, he had to make it look like the man died of an accident. Assassinations were sadly, Edward's specialty, because his vast medical knowledge allowed him to make the target look like they died from a natural cause rather than the horrifying truth.

He had taken twenty-five missions for Danzo since they had signed their agreement just over two years ago, and he was already feeling like it was twenty-five missions too many. But, like Danzo had predicted, Edward couldn't refuse. Even if he did not do the assassinations, someone else would, and they would often times involve innocent bystanders as well. Most people did not have Edward's medical intelligence, and had to resort to burning down a whole mansion with the servants and family as well as the target. Edward could not allow that to happen.

So, as long as assassinations were happening, Edward would be the one to do them. Until… until the day that he could stop the assassinations from happening altogether.

Still, he had no idea that Konoha took so many dirty jobs to build its foundations.

With a frown that never seemed to leave his face during these missions, Edward made his quick escape from the mansion, meeting his squad just outside in the nearby forest. Three shadows flashes, and in an instant Edward was surrounded by the other ROOT members.

Edward licked his lips, "You didn't kill anyone, did you Squirrel?"

Squirrel just stared at him with large black eyes, and then he finally shook his head. "No. Just as you ordered."

Edward breathed a sigh of relief, "Alright, let's go. I need to get back before dawn."

The three others nodded once, and then they were off, jumping through the forest and running through the night. It wasn't their first time working together, but it wouldn't be their last. After all, Edward was a secret Danzo wanted to keep. Still, despite the certain 'kinship' that the four shared, ROOT members weren't normal, and other than asking for clarification in orders, the others never talked to him.

Only Squirrel looked back at him, "You're an odd one, Snake."

Edward ignored him.

He quickly slipped back into his house as soon as he got home, making sure to keep quiet as to not disturb Sasuke and Naruto. They were in their beds now, having gotten used to his late-night missions and learning not to wait for him. His heart gave a little ping at that, but he understood the necessity of it. Sasuke and Naruto couldn't compromise their own health just for him to tuck them in, after all.

Besides, he no longer wanted them to wait for him.

Edward was afraid, deathly afraid of them finding out what he was doing. He did not want them to be disgusted at him, or worse, follow his example. He could not let them find out, no matter what. So, Edward was always super-careful whenever he came back from Danzo's ventures. He'd mastered walking quietly, and even Naruto's super-human senses couldn't pick him up.

Silently, Edward walked to his bathroom, and shut the door. It was air foamed just like his interrogation office. That had become a necessity.

Edward took off his snake mask and shook his hair out, staring blankly at his ghostly appearance in the mirror. His eyes were dull, looking like frosted pieces of chipped amber. Deep within them burned a pain that he knew would never ever go away, and quiet frankly, Edward did not want it to.

How many innocent people had he killed? And even if they weren't innocent, did it really give Edward the right to take their lives? His hand twitched, and the snake mask fell from his hands.

Medical knowledge was never supposed to be used the way he used it. He had perverted something precious and pure. Where there was supposed to be healing, now there was only death. Tsunade would kill him if she ever found out.

Edward closed his eyes, and let out a strangled yell. He leant his forehead against the cool bathroom mirror, feeling more than seeing his breath fog up his reflection. He knew that he had to do it if he wanted Sasuke and Naruto to live freely for now. Had to do it until they could defend themselves. Then— then— he would be free. It wasn't for forever; sooner or later things would change, and then Edward wouldn't have to stare into the lifeless faces of his victims and their questioning eyes which only demanded why, why, _why?_

He knew all that.

But sometimes, sometimes he fell into despair. Fell into the darkness of thought. Fell into that horrible, wandering depression where there seemed to be no end to this bloody tunnel.

* * *

A/n: Lol, what's Sasuke without revenge? On the subject of Sasuke: I don't understand why people always portray Sasuke as rude to people he doesn't know. Yes, he is closed off, but from everything I've read in the manga he is actually a very polite person (well, until he goes all traitor-bent-on-revenge-mode).

This is basically a chapter of wrap-ups. How cannon events would change with the addition of Edward, etc. It also shows where Konohamaru has been all this time; I actually did not just throw in that reason, I had it planned ever since Hikari died but I couldn't see a way to fit it into the story. A lot of you have asked about Konohamaru, and quite frankly I'm surprised that not one person guessed it. You guys are smart. When I read over your reviews, I get shivers thinking how far ahead you've guessed as far as the plot will go (yes, I do have the basic structure of this story planned out all the way to the end, though some things can still be up to change. I just hope cannon won't ruin it for me).

Next chapter will be funny… it was one I've been looking forward to for a long time. Hehe.

Btw, is anyone else thinking that 'Madara' might really be Shisui?


	18. VIII

A/n: I personally don't think Kakashi knew about Naruto's true heritage until after the timeskip, or else he definitely would have reacted differently. Also, don't hate on Sakura; she'll get a lot of character development. Just like Sasuke, and Naruto (you have to admit they were jerks when they were first introduced in this fic)

Chapter 7- A Team in the Making

"So this is where Naruto lives?" Kakashi glanced around the messy apartment, feeling a sweatdrop formulate on his brow. From the outside, it looked like a good place, and from the inside, there was no doubt that the furniture was top class, but…

"Yes well…" The Hokage smiled, moving a dirty pile of clothes with the tip of his toe, "It has a sort of cozy feel to it, doesn't it?"

"Sure," Kakashi answered sceptically, shooting the couch a wary look as if he expected termites to crawl out from its worn surface.

The Hokage must have sensed Kakashi's disbelief, "Well, it's three boys living together. What can you expect?"

"Three?"

"Oh yes, did I forget to mention that Naruto is also living with Sasuke of the Uchiha clan? The other member of your team? Hey, hey, you killed two birds with one stone! Now you can check out both of their abodes in one trip!"

"…are you trying to placate me, sir?"

"Not at all!" The Sandaime laughed nervously, but then turned serious a second later, "But really Kakashi, you'll not be disappointed. The last member of their little family here is a jounin under my express command, and I have no doubt that he's trained them well. Do not underestimate these brats."

"Oh?" That had peaked his interest, "Who is this jounin? And if Naruto and Sasuke were trained, how in the world did Naruto fail?"

The Sandaime sighed, "Don't ask me. Edward has always had good chakra control, but it seems that he couldn't pass it onto Naruto. By the way, shouldn't you be going to greet your team by now? It's past time."

"Hm…" Kakashi noticed the way the Sandaime had deftly averted his question on the jounin's identity, but didn't question it further. After all, this was the Hokage. With a nod, Kakashi quickly made a seal, and body flickered out of there. He supposed he should be early in his meeting with his new students…

He arrived at the academy two hours after the teams were assigned; it had to be a new record for him— usually he was three hours late. His eye curving into a smile, the silver haired jounin walked towards the classroom, wondering what exactly his academy students were going to be like. Well no, his mind was actually on his 'Icha Icha Paradise' series, but even in his own thoughts, it sounded better to be wondering about the Naruto and Sasuke that the Hokage praised so adamantly.

He slid open the stone door, distinctly heard the sound of a string snapping. Kakashi wasn't a jounin for nothing. He shifted his body, but one of the two kunai that came flying out still went directly to him; the other was to the left of where the silver haired jounin had originally been standing. But then, he wasn't a jounin for nothing. To him, it seemed as if the kunai came at a ridiculously slow pace, and he was easily able to dodge out of the way. Still, it wasn't a greeting he was too fond of.

Raising his eyebrows, he turned to his new students with a rather deceptive smile, "Pretty impressive; you were able to somewhat predict my movements. And, it totally had the intent to kill. Had I been anyone other than a jounin, it might have severely injured me. Hm… how can I say this...? My first impression is… I don't like you guys."

The blond opened his mouth to argue, but thankfully the pink haired girl stopped him. Good, Kakashi wasn't looking forward to a pointless argument this early in the afternoon, though he wouldn't have minded bringing down the blond a few pegs. After all, it was obvious that it was he who had set the trap. Well, perhaps if the blond actually made it to genin, then Kakashi would have a serious talk with the boy, but as of now…

The son of White Fang motioned for the three sulky students to follow him, and with a resigned glance between the blond and black haired boy, they did. As they climbed up the stairs, Kakashi examined his new 'students' with a critical eye; wondering what he could discern beyond the reports. Usually, the reports were fairly accurate, and Kakashi wouldn't have bothered, but this time was different. The Hokage had praised this team highly, and that was not something to be ignored.

"Told you it wouldn't work," The dark haired boy snorted, his voice quiet so to only be heard by his companions, but Kakashi picked it up anyway, "He's a jounin. Edward would never fall for that, so why would this guy?"

First was Sasuke Uchiha, the last and sole survivor of the Uchiha clan. Well, there was Itachi Uchiha as well, but somehow Kakashi got the feeling that Konoha didn't exactly recognize the rouge ninja as part of Konoha's clans. From the teacher's reports, Uchiha was an exceptional ninja, and a true genius. The only reason he hadn't graduated already was because he wanted to be held back a few years, saying something about how he wanted to learn more before he ventured into the uncertain world of being a ninja. From what Kakashi could gather, Uchiha was a wise ninja, and from the easy flow of his movements, also a competent one. There had to be a reason after all, why the Uchiha had gotten the nickname of 'Number One Rookie'.

"Yeah," The pink haired girl scolded, slapping the blond on the back of his head, "You shouldn't have done something so foolish, Naruto. Now did you hear, our sensei hates us!"

Next was Sakura Hanuro, the ninja with the highest written marks in the class. Born of a civilian family, she lacked physicals and had practically failed on that portion of the exam. However, she was extremely book smart, and could memorize anything. The question was, could she apply it? From what Kakashi had seen so far, it was a disappointment, but then, he hadn't seen much. Perhaps he could hold out his hopes for a little longer.

"I wasn't supposed to kill him!" The whiskered boy protested, crossing his arms, "I was just supposed to shock him a little because he was so late. That's all. Who knew he'd take it so seriously? Yeesh."

Last was the blond, from which Kakashi recognized as Naruto Uzumaki, the Kyuubi container. The reports had said he was loud, brash, and incompetent, and Kakashi at first was inclined to agree. After all, Uzumaki had supposedly graduated dead last from the academy. Plus, there was no prow in the blond boy's gait that indicated any superior taijutsu training, even if there was a certain noiselessness in the blond's movements. However, if Uzumaki had indeed set up that trap like Kakashi suspected he had –due to his prankster personality— then there was obviously more to the blond then met the eye. The older man also had to keep in mind after all, that Naruto supposedly lived with a jounin. Look underneath the underneath was the silver haired jounin's motto, and he certainly wouldn't fail its expectations this time.

"Ah, we're here." Kakashi smiled, and opened the door that was at the end of the staircase, leading the academy students to the roof of the school. Settling himself in a comfortable position, he watched amusedly as the three children arranged themselves on the floor— or at least, tried to arrange themselves.

Hanuro waited anxiously while Uchiha found a spot on the ground, and plopped down on it. A wide grin spreading across her face, the pink haired girl then quickly ran beside him, and seated herself next to him. Uchiha tensed, then shot Uzumaki a Look, purposefully scooting further away from Hanuro. The blond grinned pleasantly, then promptly sat himself between Uchiha and Hanuro, ignoring the disgruntled look the pink haired girl shot him. Kakashi let out a low whistle— this was almost like watching his 'Icha Icha' in action, except without the lemon.

Nonetheless, he had to get on, no matter how interesting watching the team dynamics were. After all, he had better things to do than to take care of green academy students, and the sooner he took care of this the better. "Well, let's begin with introducing ourselves."

"What do you want to know?"

Kakashi's eyes twitched. Were these genin idiots or what? He shrugged, "How about your likes, dislikes… your dreams for the future, and things like that."

"Hey hey, why don't you introduce yourself to us first?" Uzumaki demanded.

"Yeah, you look kinda suspicious…" Hanuro agreed, hugging her knees to her chest and looking at him warily.

Aw, he was hurt by that! Oh well… "Me? Well, my name is Hatake Kakashi… I have no desire to tell you my likes and dislikes… Dreams for the future… hm… And I have lots of hobbies."

The three children shared a Look. Kakashi smiled; good, they were getting along already! It meant they may actually have a chance of passing. Unlikely, but hey who knew? After all, nobody had expected Gai to suddenly become obsessed with green leotard. The silver haired jounin shuddered slightly at the memory, and decided to move on, "Now it's your turn. Let's start on the right."

"My name is Sakura Hanuro. The thing I like is… well, the person I like is…" Here, the pink haired girl glanced at Uchiha, and giggled shyly, "And, uhm, my dream for the future… uhm…? OH YEAH! What I dislike is Naru- er… My hobby is… well… hehe."

Great, a fangirl who was obsessed with one of her future teammates, and hated the other one. She wasn't even like Rin, who had at least treated Obito nicely. Sighing, Kakashi nodded to the next person, the blond in the middle.

"Yosh, my name is Naruto Uzumaki! What I like is cup ramen and beating Sasuke, and what I live even more is when Sasuke loses a bet and has to pay for my ramen. What I dislike is waiting three minutes for ramen to cook. Hobbies? Play pranks! And training of course! And my dream… is to surpass the Hokage and then have the people of this village acknowledge my existence!"

Er… why was this kid obsessed with ramen, and beating up his other teammate? This didn't bode well either, but then again, if Uzumaki and Uchiha truly lived together, it might just be a brotherly thing. Kakashi had seen loads of people who fought on a daily basis, but could work together well enough to take down someone twice their skill. And… Uzumaki wanted to Hokage, eh? Well, it was an admirable dream, but all in all an unrealistic one. If Uzumaki did by some chance pass, Kakashi would have to disillusion him. Now, the last one…

"My name is Sasuke Uchiha. There are a few things I like, and a lot of things I dislike, including when people insult the people closest to me-" Here, he glanced at Hanuro. Touché, "-as for my hobbies? Training and learning, as well as travelling. My dream for the future… is to track down one man and revive my clan."

Track down one man? That had to be Itachi Uchiha. And revival of a clan…? Kakashi had to fight down a perverted giggle. He coughed into his hand, trying to at least appear professional, "So far for the introductions, tomorrow we'll start our duties as ninja."

"Yeah!" Uzumaki saluted, an excited grin on his face, "What kind of duties?"

"First we are going to do something with just the four of us… survival training."

"Why is our first duty a training?" Hanuro asked, looking confused, "We've had enough training at the academy."

Uchiha shot her a disgruntled look, but seemed to be too polite to say anything. Or he just didn't care, whatever. Uzumaki on the other hand, was far more vocal, though Kakashi had a funny feeling that that blond was actually trying to be nice, "We've always gotta train Sakura-chan! Or how else can we keep getting stronger?"

Hanuro glared at the offending blond, "Idio-"

"Actually," Kakashi decided to intervene before the children decided to have another long… erm… _discussion_. "This isn't a normal training. This time I'm your opponent."

At the questioning glances, Kakashi started to laugh, and when he told them about the exam, they totally freaked out. It was too funny. "Haha! I told you you'd freak out!"

"What? What? But Edward nii-san never had to go through this test!"

"Idiot," Uchiha muttered, "That's because Aniki's special, unlike you evidently. He's considered a genius, a real one. I may be smart but… Aniki's one of those once in a life time prodigies, a genius among geniuses. Of course he wouldn't have to be tested to see if he's competent."

Once in a lifetime prodigy? Then why had Kakashi never heard about him? But then again, Kakashi never really kept up with Konoha's ninja unless he had to go on a mission with one of them. Still… you'd think that he'd have met others like him… Or maybe these kids were just exaggerating. After all, the skill of a jounin no matter how horrible, was extraordinary compared to an academy student's.

"But… but… We've worked so hard to pass! What was the point of graduating?"

"Oh… that?" Kakashi decided to cut in, "That was just to select those who have the chance to become genin."

"Uhh… WHAT?"

"Idiot," Uchiha muttered again, massaging his temples, "Don't worry so much. All we have to do is pass, right?"

Uzumaki finally seemed to calm down, giving a decisive nod, "Yeah, that's right! We'll pass this no problem!"

"But it won't be that easy," Kakashi interjected; seriously, these kids were too overconfident! It'd get them killed in a battlefield. Did they seriously think they could take on a jounin? "Anyway, tomorrow you have to show your real skill on the training ground. Bring all the ninja tools you have and… skip breakfast, you might throw up."

"Might throw up?" Hanuro pulled at her hair, and Kakashi couldn't help the wandering thought that he was rather afraid of kleptomaniacs, "Is it that tough?"

Kakashi simply smiled, and handed her a pamphlet, "The details are on this paper, and don't be late tomorrow."

With that, he disappeared in a poof of smoke.

The next day, he arrived to the training grounds at his regular time. Three hours late. Heh, he figured that since he was so good yesterday, he really deserved a break today. As he neared the meeting place though, Kakashi smelt something odd. Surreptitiously, he glanced around, wondering what it could be. Whoever it was, they were sure good at hiding their noises; it was a shame they had never thought to hide their scent.

Nonetheless… "Hey guys, good morning!"

Uchiha had been chatting with Uzumaki, or so it seemed. They both seemed to be debating a scroll that was spread about before them, with Hanuro looking over Uzumaki's shoulder. Kakashi nodded to himself. Hmm good, they weren't just uselessly wasting time them. Well…

At Kakashi's greeting, Uzumaki turned, and Haruno jumped to her feet, both sporting a very familiar glare, "YOU'RE LATE!"

Kakashi ignored them, and dug into his pack, pulling out a small timer. Setting it on a tree stump, he clicked the time, "OK, it's set for noon. Here are two bells, your task is to take these from me before the time's up. Those who don't have a bell by noon... get no lunch. I'll not only tie you to one of those stumps, but I'll also eat right in front of you."

"I'm so glad Edward nii-san made us eat breakfast," Uzumaki sighed, looking to the heavens. "I'm going to kiss him when we get back."

"Hn," Uchiha replied, but he was smiling all the same. "I'd like to see you try."

"What?" Hanuro screeched, "You guys ate?"

"You didn't?" Uchiha asked frostily.

"Well… well… that is…"

"Hey don't worry!" Uzumaki was obviously trying to salvage the situation, "We didn't want to either, but Edward nii-san threatened us with no training for a week if we didn't. He said that you always need your strength on missions, and if we were nervous, we should just eat a little bit."

"If you're done?" At Kakashi's warning, the aspiring genin quickly shut up. Maa… this 'Edward' person was ruining his plans. Why oh why did two of his victim-er-students living with a jounin? Shaking his head sadly, Kakashi explained the rest of the rules in relative peace. "…and you'll have to come at me with the intent to kill."

"But!" Hanuro was the first one to protest, "You'll be in danger!"

"Don't be so sure," Uchiha's calm voice was glacial, "He is a jounin. Naruto and I have definitely tried to kill Aniki quite a couple of times, but we've come nowhere close to succeeding."

"Yeah," Uzumaki said tensely, digging into his pockets for a kunai as he lowered himself into a crouch. His loud, upbeat personality has seemingly disappeared, overshadowed by his seriousness.

Kakashi found himself smiling in spite of himself. There truly was more to these kids than met the eye, "Heh… it seems like I'm beginning to… like you guys. OK, let's get going. Ready… BEGIN!"

Sasuke threw something onto the ground, and the area exploded in smoke. Kakahsi eye smiled, and carefully made sure not to spread his senses too far. After all, he wanted to give the genin a sporting chance. A moment later, the smoke cleared, revealing an empty patch of… wait a minute, there was Naruto…

"Come here," The blond shouted, crossing his arms in a gesture of confidence, "And fight me!"

Kakashi blinked, then rubbed the back of his neck; was this guy an idiot? "Um… you're a little bit off."

"The only thing off is your hair!" Naruto shouted, his hands flashing through a quick series of seals. "Wind Release: Harrying Gale!"

Kakashi's eyes widened as a large torrent of wind suddenly slammed against him, rocking the trees around him. What the heck…? An academy student shouldn't have that much chakra! But then again, this was the Kyuubi container… Kakashi crouched ever so slightly, channelling chakra into his soles so he wouldn't be blown away. It was impressive, but overall, ineffective. That is, until he realized it was a combo.

Five balls of flame shot from one side of the woods, roaring with extra speed and power due to the wind. Sasuke! He knew it; the two could work together exceptionally well. Still, he wasn't going to go all out on a couple of kids, no matter how exceptional they were. His fingers formed together in a seal. A second later, the balls of fire smashed into the place he had been, incinerating the log that was now there. Ah, Body Replacement sure was useful against lesser ninja. Against a jounin, it would never work, since jounin hardly gave any of the quarter or time that was required to use the avoidance technique.

Kakashi had flashed towards the direction the fire had come from, knowing that now he had Sasuke's position, he could easily disable him. Really though… he should have expected more from the Rookie of the Year. As soon as he jumped off of the tree he had used Body Replacement with, a number of shuriken came flying towards him. Ah, a trap! He somersaulted backwards, deftly avoiding each and every one, feeling a smile creep up his face. These students were really impressing him!

He had about half a minute of avoiding traps —just how much had the kid set up?— when Naruto finally found him again. The blond didn't waste any time. He quickly put up his hands in a seal, "Shadow Clone Technique!"

Kakashi whistled in spite of himself as six other Narutos appeared. A jounin level technique! Hehe… he really believed he was liking these kids more and more. With a war cry, the Narutos leapt towards Kakashi. There was no style in their fighting, but there was precision, and a great deal of coordination. The blond aimed towards Kakashi's pressure points, and though a lot of Naruto's movements were wasted, his style was made up for by his adaptability. Still, Kakashi decided it was time to end this. A quick body replacement did the trick. Confused, the six Narutos all looked at eachother, then shrugged, spreading out to look for them. Kakashi grinned, fingering the six kunai in his pouch; he knew about shadow clones. As long as he hit them, they would dispel. Hefting his weapons, Kakashi fired, making sure to aim at non-lethal parts. Only one figure would remain, and that would reveal the real Naruto!

…except all of them dispelled. Kakashi felt his eyebrows rise at this. What the heck…? Finally, he decided it was time to not be so focused on his pride, and spread out his senses. All three prospective genin, were very far away from him. Sasuke and Naruto were in one area, and Sakura in another, but for sure, the places where they currently were would have taken some time to get to.

Ah… now he understood. Since the moment 'Naruto' had found him, it had been a shadow clone. The real Naruto had left with Sasuke, leaving to regroup and come up with another tactic. The traps and the shadow clones had been used to distract Kakashi, as well as perhaps learn his fighting style. Now, the two students were far away, probably planning a way to take him down. But, now that Kakashi had spread out his senses, he noticed something… off.

He coughed, digging out his little orange book, "Hello Mr. Jounin, did you want to speak to me?"

The leaves ruffled, and a second later a blond haired, golden eyed boy jumped out, his forehead protector on his belt, "I just wanted to see how the famous Copy-nin Kakashi would test his prospective students."

"Ah?" Kakashi asked as if uninterested, but inwardly he felt a little wary, "And whom do I owe the pleasure of speaking to? You seem to know me, but I don't know you."

"I guess I'm not that famous then," The golden eyed boy smiled, showing all teeth, "And of course I'd know you, and your impressive fail record."

"Oh, now I see. You're Naruto's and Sasuke's older brother, aren't you?" Why else would he care so much about how Kakashi tested his students? So now at least Kakashi had a first name; 'Edward nii-san'. "I'd appreciate it if you don't interfere with my exam."

"I have no intention of interfering," The blond rolled his eyes, flipping his braid behind him, "They'll pass all on their own."

"Oh? What makes you so confident?"

"The objective is teamwork; Sasuke and Naruto have that in spades."

"Oh, so you've figured that out?" It wasn't meant to be figure-out-able. Despite the speech Kakashi gave every time he tied a student to a tree trunk, the objective wasn't actually ever meant to be _figured out_. The students were supposed to pass on the second chance, and the second chance only. The reality was, that in the world of ninja Kakashi was one of the select few who actually cared about teamwork. None of the other jounins tested on it. The bell test could be considered eccentric. So, how in the world had this blond jounin figured it out?

"Wasn't that hard," The blond shrugged, "Once I looked at your records."

Kakashi narrowed his eyes, putting away his 'Icha Icha' book, keeping his voice deceptively calm, "So you know my name, and apparently my history… it seems you have me at a disadvantage."

"You'll get to know who I am, if you pass them." With one final grin, the blond disappeared in a swirl of water strands, leaving only a puddle behind. Hmm… so he had a water affinity, then. How arrogant the kid was, but then Kakashi supposed he himself was arrogant when he was young. Anyway, it wasn't his problem. He had an exam to complete.

Pushing the encounter out of his mind, Kakashi slowly walked towards the pink haired girl's direction.

She was, disappointedly, not hard to find.

"How can I convince Sasuke to work with me?" Sakura muttered, her head lowered as she wandered aimlessly around the forest, "How, how, how? They're best friends, I know that, but I have to be on the same team as Sasuke! How could I possibly break them up?"

Kakashi frowned as he followed her, listening to her ramblings and half baked plans. Yes, he understood that most females of her age only cared about boys, but it was still disappointing to hear nonetheless. Heck, she was even planning to sabotage one of her teammates!

Letting out a small breath, Kakashi jumped from his perch on the tree and set up a whirl of genjutsu. Sakura turned, but not quick enough.

She was sadly easy to take out. Unlike her two teammates, she did not show Kakashi any hidden abilities, and fell easily to a low level genjutsu that she should have easily been able to dispel. Kakashi sighed; if this team passed, he would have to work on her.

With a shake of his head, Kakashi started walking towards where he had felt Naruto and Sasuke last. Surprisingly, he didn't even have to search for them.

Not too far from Naruto's and Sasuke's hiding place, Kakashi suddenly felt someone rush towards him with the intent to kill. Kakashi paused, is eyes curving upwards ever so slightly. Well well well, this would certainly be interesting.

A few seconds later, Naruto burst from one of the bushes.

So then, they had somehow tracked him. Kakashi didn't exactly try to leave his trail unnoticed (heck, if he had, no one less than an ANBU captain could have found him) but still, he hadn't expected genin -especially those who were not specialized in tracking- to find him so easily. Sasuke and Naruto were definitely an interesting pair.

Naruto made a familiar cross shape with his fingers, and a moment later the air filled with smoke. Before the smoke even cleared, Kakashi sensed the charge, and acted accordingly. By his estimation there were twenty clones, and Kakashi was pretty sure that the Naruto he had seen earlier wasn't the real one. So then, what were they trying to accomplish?

The clones charged, all of them pushing towards Kakashi with that astonishing taijustu and coordination. Ah, so Naruto was trying to push Kakashi back, was he? How cute…

Well, Kakashi would let him, for now. After all, he wanted to see what Sasuke had set up. He flipped through the air, landing exactly where the clones intended for him to land. No sooner than he had landed, a splay of kunai came flying out of the branches.

Kakashi grinned, and deftly dodged them all, though he knew he was still being led somewhere. Nonetheless, it was a smart plan. Changing it up from people to traps tended to startle most people and lead them into thinking they weren't being deliberately cornered. Too bad for them Kakashi wasn't 'most people'.

And… too bad for Kakashi that he wanted to see what his prospective students could do.

He jumped backwards to avoid the last of the projectiles, landing softly in the clearing, the various leaves cushioning his fall… hold on, leaves? Why were there so many leaves, if it wasn't autumn…?

And then he realized it. No way!

Eyes widening, Kakashi tried to leap away, but it was too late. The ground beneath him fizzed, and suddenly he felt his limbs leaden, the air gaining a heavy weight. Now, the thought of moving seemed treacherous, and even when he saw Sasuke jump out from the branches of a high tree and make his way towards the jounin, Kakashi could not contemplate the thought of moving.

"You're caught," Sasuke's smile was decidedly evil, "Not even a jounin can escape from a seal. Especially not Naruto's seals."

"Oh man," Naruto had just appeared, coming out of hiding behind a bush. Leaves and stray twigs were sticking out from his hair, but he was grinning from ear to ear as he looked at Sasuke, "Oh man Sasuke, how do you always know these things?"

Sasuke snorted, giving Kakashi a decisively superior look that Kakashi just knew he had to correct later, "It's not hard to predict. There are certain instincts that people will follow. Well, ninjas are trained out of those instincts, but since Kakashi-sensei is supposed to be testing us, I figured he would follow them. There was over a 90% chance that he'd end up in this clearing if we set up the traps a certain way."

Ah, so they had even thought that far. Impressive really; wasn't ittle Sasuke the perfect little strategist? They had actually forced Kakashi to use some of his real ability, and they had trapped him in something that even he could not escape from. Kakashi's limbs were too leaden to make seals even. Honestly, the kiddies would seem to be able to get the bells.

It was such a shame, that Kakashi had thought even farther.

Kakashi dispelled in a poof of smoke.

Naruto's and Sasuke's mouths dropped open.

Kakashi smiled, slipping into view from behind a nearby tree, "Naruto-kun, you aren't the only one who knows how to do a shadow clone."

Naruto went red in the face, a finger rising accusingly at the silver haired jounin, "You- you-!"

Sasuke narrowed his eyes, a hand going to his belt, "It's fine Naruto, we'll just take the bells now."

Unfortunately for them, time was up.

Naruto's eyes went as wide as saucers, his head whipping towards the direction of the bell. His face turned ashen, "No, no, no!"

Even Sasuke didn't look very good.

Kakashi giggled, "Hehe, looks like your time is up."

Motioning for the children to follow him, Kakashi quickly made a lightning clone to wake up Sakura, and bring her to the tree stumps. The clone made off at a breakneck pace. Walking slowly, Kakashi decided he should cheer up his students a little, "Very impressive seal, by the way. If I didn't have the foresight to make a clone, you might have gotten a bell."

And it was an impressive seal. Kakashi himself was a seal master, though not nearly as good as the one who taught it to him. To make a time/space seal like the one Naruto had… well, it certainly spoke to heights of creativity and talent. Kakashi had watched as Naruto set it up, while Sasuke was setting up the traps. He hadn't wanted to miss whatever strategies they came up with, after all.

Naruto instantly brightened, "Wow, thanks sensei!"

Sasuke rolled his eyes, putting his hands in his pocket and kicking at a random piece of rock. Aw, poor rock. But then Kakashi supposed, Sasuke did have a reason to be upset. After all, it was obvious that the two had more talent than most chuunin, yet they hadn't been able to pass a genin test. "Idiot, can't you tell he's also insulting you? He's saying that most people have that much insight, and we're idiots because we didn't."

"But we did have a secondary plan," Naruto whined, then turned to Kakashi with determined blue eyes, oddly reminding Kakashi of someone whom he couldn't quite place. It nagged at him, and he had long ago learned that his instincts never failed. But… who? "We would have pwned you if it weren't for the alarm, believe it!"

Nope, not really. Kakashi had seen them talk through their secondary plan too, just in case the first one didn't work. Though it was impressive, and it would have forced Kakashi to bring out more of his abilities than he was willing to show… well. Kakashi's eyes curved up into a smile, "Yes, I know. I was watching you guys the entire time."

"Yeah, so you know how awesome-" Naruto suddenly stopped his rant, blinking, "Wait, what?"

"I thought I sensed something," Sasuke muttered, shaking his head and fixing Kakashi with a piercing black eyed stare, "So it _was_ you."

Eh? How in the world had a kid sensed him? Sure, Kakashi acknowledged that these two were far ahead of their peers, but to sense a jounin? It was bordering on the edge of ridiculous.

Just then, his memories filled with that of his latest clone's. Ah, so then the deed was done. Giving the two boys an eye smile, Kakashi suddenly picked up his pace, now running towards the tree stumps. Now, there was no more reason to dely. He arrived at the scene with Sakura already tied to the tree, conscious and glaring balefully at him. A second later the boys arrived.

"Eh?" Naruto exclaimed, taking in Sakura's position as he skipped over to the pink haired girl, "Sakura-chan! What's the pervert done to you?"

Kakashi sweatdropped.

Sasuke narrowed his eyes at Sakura, then turned to Kakashi with an expectant air, "You delayed us so you could tie up Sakura with your clone."

Kakashi eye-smiled; very impressive indeed. Sasuke had figured it out in a glance. "My, my, aren't you a smart one? Yep, Sakura is the unfortunate one who's been tied up, since she was the one who was the farthest from getting a bell."

It was true. Sakura had been taken out by his shadow clone, whereas Sasuke and Naruto had forced Kakashi to reveal at least part of his true abilities. The gap was so large a world wonder could be made from it. Then again, Sakura had come from a civilian family, and Kakashi should really give the girl more credit. Comparing her to Sasuke and Naruto who had trained under a jounin was unfair, really.

The academy didn't teach children anything particularly useful in becoming a ninja, since most of the attendants never became ninja anyway. It would be harmful to the ninja system if all of the sudden civilians could do advanced techniques. Then, why would they need to hire ninja?

This Edward person must have been really confident that Sasuke and Naruto would become ninja. Then again, why wouldn't he? After all, one was the Uchiha heir, and the other was the Kyuubi's jailor. They would eventually become ninja. Whether or not today though… that was the question.

"You guys look pretty hungry," It was lunchtime after all, and even if they had eaten breakfast, it would have been at seven am. "Oh and… by the way, something about this training… well, there's no need for you guys to go back to the academy…"

He purposefully waited for their hopeful, excited expressions, before he crushed their dreams. Oh yes, he was cruel. But then, they needed to learn that the ninja world was a cruel one.

"You mean, all three of us…?"

Kakashi smiled widely, almost feeling guilty for what he was about to say. Almost. "Yup, all three of you… should quit as ninja!"

There was a moment of stunned silence, and then-

"Quit as ninjas?" Naruto demanded, pounding his fist into the tree stump next to him, making Sakura flinch, "What does that mean? OK, OK, we couldn't get the bells but… we were close! Why do we have to quit?"

"Because all of you… are just punks who don't deserve to be ninjas. Are you underestimating ninjas, huh? Why do you think you were divided into teams and are doing this training?"

"Huh?" Sakura's face was the epitome of confusion and nervousness, "What does that mean?"

Kakashi sighed; she was supposed to be the smart one, but she was turning out to be the one farthest from the mark. "Basically… you guys are not understanding the answer to this test."

Naruto cocked his head, "Answer?"

"Yes… the answer that helps you past the test. Naruto, you've actually gotten part of it along with Sasuke, but not enough!"

"So what is the answer?"

Kakashi narrowed his eyes, "Teamwork."

"B-but! Sasuke and I did work together…"

Kakashi sighed, "And did you get the bells? No, but you were close. If you had added a third member to your team, you could have very well succeeded. Besides, it wasn't hard for you to and Sasuke to work together, because you've been living together for a long time, but what happens when you suddenly must work with someone new, huh? Naruto, you thought that if you and Sasuke could both get a bell each, that'd be great, but you completely forgot Sakura, who's supposedly your crush! Sasuke, you thought that Sakura was completely useless, but she did graduate as the ninja with the written highest marks in class for a reason! And worst is Sakura, who instead of trying to think of ways to defeat me, wasted all your time thinking of ways to convince Sasuke to abandon Naruto!

"The purpose of this test was to see whether you can forget about your own interests… and successfully work together, under these designed circumstances. Of course superior individual ability is important to a ninja, but what's even more important is teamwork. A teammate is supposed to be someone you can fall back on, someone who covers your weaknesses. Sasuke and Naruto, you've already seen how much more you can accomplish together, and you can accomplish even more so with a third member. You're both exceptionally good at high jutsus, but what about chakra control? I've heard that Sakura is rather good at that, and you guys would have benefited from including her in all your plans. Who knows, I might have even been defeated. Individual play that disrupts the team can put your comrades I danger, and even get you killed. For example…"

As soon as Kakashi finished the sentence, he moved. Flashing behind Sasuke, he grabbed the Uchiha by the back of the collar and dragged him to the jounin's original position, all in the space of one second. Holding a kunai to Sasuke's throat, he raised his brow and dared Naruto to move. "Naruto! Kill Sakura! Or Sasuke dies!"

"What?" Naruto glanced around wildly, then charged at Kakashi with spiteful fury, "You bastard, I'll kill you instead!"

Kakashi easily caught Naruto's arm, and giving the blond a cold stare to show that Kakashi could beat him at any moment, Kakashi let the two boys go. "You see? If a hostage is taken, you will have tough choices and then die. You will be risking your lives in these duties."

Sighing, Kakashi walked over to the all too familiar memorial stone, his eyes clouding over with memories, "Look at the number of names on this. These are ninjas who are recognized as heroes of the village. But… they aren't just normal heroes… They are all heroes who have died while on duty. This is a memorial. My best friend's name is also carved here…"

He let out another sigh, as if the revelation had changed his mind, and that this was not all a pre-planned event. "You guys… I'll give you one more chance. But after lunch I'll make it even tougher to get the bells. Those who still wish to challenge can eat lunch, but don't give any to Sakura. Out of all of you, she is the one that was the farthest from the mark, and if anyone gives her food they will fail immediately. Got it?"

With his point made, Kakashi disappeared from the spot in a poof of smoke, landing not too far away behind a nearby tree. Carefully, he masked his presence so that even ANBU would have a hard time sensing him. If the three did end up passing, he'd have to check up Sasuke's chakra-sensing abilities.

"Uh…" Sakura's voice was weak, "It's fine hehe… I really was just useless anyway…"

Naruto shot Sakura a concerned glance, then looked at the black haired Uchiha, "Sasuke…"

The other boy sighed, "Yeah, do what you want Naruto, I don't sense Kakashi nearby."

"Yatta!" Naruto pumped his fists into the air, and promptly handed Sakura his lunchbox.

The pink haired girl stared at him in shock, "Na-Naruto…"

Sasuke shook his head, a slightly rueful grin on his faces as he picked up his chopsticks, and plucked out a piece of chicken from his box. He held out the chicken in front of Sakura, "Naruto, you are honestly the worst idiot I've ever met. How do you expect Sakura to eat when she's tied up?"

"Oh…" Naruto scratched his head, looking sheepish, "Oh yeah…"

For a moment, Sakura simply looked pleased that her dream guy was going to feed her, but then she shook her head, "What are you doing? You'll get expelled!"

"Without food, you'll just be in the way and that will only hurt us," Sasuke shrugged, then jerked his head towards the orange-clad boy, "Besides, this idiot's been desperate to hand feed you ever since-"

"Sasuke!"

Kakashi decided it was enough. Using a quick body flicker, he landed in front of the three genin in a puff of smoke. "YOU GUYS…!"

Naruto jumped backwards, his hands already in a seal. Sasuke stayed down, reaching towards his kunai pack.

Maa, maa, they were so paranoid. Kakashi allowed his face to relax into a smile, as he finally finished his sentence, "…pass :3"

The three genin blinked at him, looking disbelieving. Hehe… he had tricked the genin so many times today; now they wouldn't be able to look at the food in front of them without thinking there was some sort of trick. Mission accomplished!

"Pass?" Sakura looked to be in shock, "Not that I'm complaining but… why?"

Kakashi licked his lips, getting ready to explain, but somehow he found it a lot harder than he thought it would be. "You guys are the first…"

"Huh?"

"Everyone else would just do whatever I told them." He thought back to those stupid, stupid kids, as one by one they disillusioned him about the world. None of them could understand the objective, the importance of being on a team. He had lost all hope… "They were all just morons. A ninja must see underneath the underneath; those who break the rules and codes of the ninja world are called trash… but you know what? Those who don't take care of their comrades… are lower than trash."

Stunned expressions met his speech. Kakashi coughed, then allowed his face to slide into a smile again. The past was the past, he couldn't dwell on it now. He had a team to inspire, after all. The silver haired jounin grinned, giving a thumbs up to his new students, "That ends the training. All of you pass! OK! Starting tomorrow Team Seven will begin its duties!"

"Yatta!" Naruto jumped up, pumping his fists into the air. Pulling Sasuke up, the blond started to dance around with the resigned Uchiha, doing a victory dance, "We passed, we passed, we passed! Wait until I tell Nii-san!"

"Oh yea…" Here, was the perfect opportunity to inquire on the identity of the mysterious blond, "Who did you say your 'Nii-san' was again?"

"Huh?" Naruto stopped his dance, cocking his head at Kakashi in contemplation, "Oh right, we never did tell you, right? I guess as our sensei now, you should know! Our Nii-san is the super awesome, super powerful jounin, Edward Elric!"

Kakashi snorted that the introduction, but then froze. Wait, Edward _Elric_ did he say? As in, 'Edge of Death Elric'?

* * *

A/n: Ahhh... I love writing Kakashi. Reading this over, I have to laugh at some of his inner commentary. As for Sakura, I know she seems like an A-class jerk in this chappie, but the truth is that she was an A-class jerk before Chuunin Exams. Don't worry, she'll get better, in both personality and skills.

Question: Would you guys like to see Naruto and Sasuke perform in the chuunin exams? It's not really relevant as far as plot goes, but they'll really be able to show off their skill. So... should I write it?


	19. Interlude: Blue Skies

A/n: I got bored and didn't want to do any work during my spare, so this came out. Don't worry, it's not a 'real' chapter, so it won't interfere with my next update. Think of it as a Bonus! :)

Interlude: Blue Skies

The skies used to be blue.

Black eyes blearily opened, as the owner registered the soft steps which signaled his partner. Rolling over, Itachi lifted the blankets from his person and swung his legs over the side of the bed. He stood soundlessly.

Kisame had gotten up, that much he knew. He trusted the missing Mist nin to a certain extent, but he also knew that complete trust would be foolish. It was obvious from their various conversations that Kisame was spellbound with Akatsuki's true leader, and Itachi could not risk Madara getting a whiff of his true emotions. Itachi rather thought that part of the reason he and Kisame got along so well was because Kisame thought Itachi was just as fanatic as he about world peace.

Well, Itachi _was_ just as fanatic. But not about Madara's vision. And not outwardly. Never outwardly.

Wishing to sigh but knowing that the ability to regret had long since left him, Itachi took a silent step towards the chair where he had hung his Akatsuki cloak. In the other room, he heard Kisame cursing and banging on chairs as the mist nin tried to remember where he had stashed his things. Itachi felt a thin smile spread across his lips.

For an expert assassin, Kisame made a lot of noise. It reminded Itachi of someone else he knew, someone with a foul mouth and blazing golden eyes. But that was neither here nor there. Unlike his former (dare he say it? No, he did not dare) associate, Kisame was only being loud to relax. When the situation called for it, the Swordsman of the Mist could go so still that even Itachi had a hard time sensing him. Kismae was talented, there was no doubt about that.

Which was probably the reason that Itachi always awoke when Kisame did. As soon as Itachi heard the other man arise from his bed, the Uchiha would shift from tired to alert. It was not that he thought his partner would kill him, but ANBU habits were hard to break and quite frankly, Itachi had made no effort to break them. For the sake of Konoha, Itachi could not afford to be caught off guard.

He finished putting on his clothes, and just in time too. A knock sounded on his door, and looking bored, Itachi went to answer it. His right arm was hanging out of the front of his lcoak in its usual lazy manner, and there was nothing on his face that indicated anything was different from usual.

The thick paper doors slid open to reveal the Mist nin, his hair as spiky as ever and no signs of doziness on his face, despite the amount of cursing just moments before. Like Itachi, Kisame knew the Poker Face.

"Hey Itachi," The shark man grinned, his sword already strapped to his back. "You ready to leave?"

Itachi nodded silently, not seeing the need for a verbal response. That was alright; Kisame was used to that. He took a step out of his room, and then shut the door behind him. The pair made their way down the stairs, slowly and languidly as they had always done. It was very rarely that an Akatsuki member had to run. Then again, Itachi wouldn't know, considering the fact that he had not seen any other Akatsuki member for four years.

When they got ot the receptionist desk it was Itachi who gave the inn owner the money. The inn owner had seen their headbands and looked slightly fearful, but knew how to stay out of business to stay _in_ business.

"Man," Kisame said as soon as they were out of the inn, "I still don't know why you always insist on giving the innkeepers money. That one looked like he was about to piss his pants. Heh, he probably would have let us stay there for free if I sneezed or something."

Itachi glanced at his partner, then let his eyes wander to the street again, "You know why. Leader would not be pleased if we attracted attention to Akatsuki prematurely."

But that was just a convenient excuse, of course. The truth was very simple –Itachi did not want civilians to get involved in the tricky business that was ninja. They did not deserve to be targets simply because they were weak. There was more to life than strength and weakness after all. Civilians deserved to be able to carry their life on normally. They had not killed, pillaged, and murdered. They did not deserve to be dragged into Akatsuki's shadowy business. And that was why Itachi made no fuss with the innkeepers, preferring instead to pretend to be an ordinary citizen with an odd attitude.

Kisame however, would not understand that. The swordsman was brought up in the blood fields of Mist, where friend could turn on friend and everyone was potentially an enemy. No one could have had the heart to care about civilians there. No, Kisame would not understand Itachi's reasons.

"You are such a goody two-shoes," Kisame muttered with a roll of his eyes. Itachi was still watching the swordsman out of his peripheral vision as they walked down the street. Again, this was not because Itachi thought that Kisame would turn on him, but Kisame had a rather bad tendency to explode on anyone whom he felt slighted him. Whether that meant escaping from Samehada or accidently bumping the Mist nin on the shoulder –Itachi had to be prepared to take care of it. "I mean really Itachi, you take everything Leader says to the letter. Even when we _both_ know that—"

"Kisame," Itachi intoned, "Watch what you say."

Kisame's eyes flashed with recognition. The shark man bowed his head, and kicked at a pebble with his toe. He snorted, his voice indignant, "You don't seriously think someone is listening? Even with you and me both here?"

"You never know what may happen, If a civilian happened to overhear and remembers, and if by chance the people we least want to hear about _that_ connects the dots…"

"Yes, yes, I know," Kisame muttered, "Death, doom, disaster, and all that fun stuff. Man Itachi, you're such a stick in the mud. It's sometimes hard to believe that you massacred your clan."

Itachi forced himself not to stiffen. He had spent months mastering it, then years perfecting it, and it had thankfully paid off. The subject still rattled him, but his heart no longer beat faster, and his facial expressions didn't so nearly as twitch.

"Where is our client?" Itachi asked instead, his voice still in its normal monotone.

"Huh," Kisame pulled out a sheet of paper from underneath his cloak, and squinted at it, "We're not too far from his place. A day's journey if we travel at our normal pace. Let's get something to eat before he head out. I'm starved."

Itachi nodded his agreement, and they went to find a restaurant for breakfast. After eating, they took off. The client –a noble this time— greeted them coolly, businesslike. The mission was simple; he wanted his opposition killed, but the opposition had already bought the best ninja of the village for bodyguards. The noble had heard of Akatsuki from his underground gambling and decided to use them. Leader had assigned Itachi and Kisame this mission, because the noble was willing to cut any corners to use the illustrious Akatsuki, who had yet to fail an assignment.

They found and doubt with the targets quickly. It happened in a small clearing near the middle of a forest. They were done within minutes, as high class fights usually were. Soon, they had four bodies in the clearing.

Itachi's eyes lidded, "Kisame, go collect the money from the client, I'll clean up here."

Kisame hesitated, "Itachi, what—"

Itachi waved a hand, dismissing Kisame's fears, "If this looked like outright murder, the suspicion would fall on client-kun, would it not? If that happens, he will not hire us again. Go, and wait for me at the Starbuck Inn. You will disrupt my genjutsu if you come back here."

The hesitation disappeared completely as Kisame rolled his eyes and left, muttering about arrogant geniuses.

Itachi put his hands in his pockets, and glanced up at the sky. It was late afternoon now, and the sun was fading. "You can come out now."

An amused chuckle sounded from his right, and there was a rustling of bushes as a figure stepped out from the forest. He could have done so silently, Itachi knew, but such was not in the personality of that man.

"My," Madara Uchiha said in a humoured tone, "I wonder if I am losing my touch or if you are simply getting that much better, my dear pupil."

Itachi resisted the urge to shiver, and instead turned his eyes to meet the ancestor Uchiha's soulless black eyes. Madara did not have his mask on. He did not need it when dealing with Itachi.

A wry grin crossed the century year old man's face, "But I must wonder, why did you send Kisame away? Surely you know that an Akatsuki member is not allowed to travel without their partner."

Itachi simply looked at his 'mentor' coldly, "Would you have come out if I didn't?"

"No," Madara smiled, showing all teeth.

"What mission do you have for me?" Madara after all, never just _visited_.

"Hn, you know me so well. In fact, I do have a mission for you, so listen closely…"

Itachi soaked in the information, and nodded at the end of the explanation. There was a moments of silence.

"What?" Madara finally said, looking surprised, "Do you have no questions about this assignment."

"Your outline was clear," Itachi replied.

"Thank you for the compliment," Madara smiled, but then suddenly, the smile turned almost predatory, "But it wasn't _that_ clear was it? Is perhaps, the reason you're not asking for clarification because you want to interpret it your own way? So you won't have to kill who I did not specify to kill?"

A trap. His heart thumped. Itachi had thought Madara was done testing him. He replied coolly, neither too quickly nor too slowly, "I had assumed that it was standard Akatsuki procedure. Leave no witnesses."

"Hm, indeed?" There was something strained about Madara's smile, but then it turned clearer, "Ah , by the way, have you heard of your brother's recent graduation from the academy?"

"Oh?" Itachi tried not to sound interested, "Well that is expected. He is of Uchiha blood."

"Not so expected," Madara grinned, "That he graduated at thirteen. Such a disappointment, isn't it? Then again, it could be because your friend was holding him back."

"What Sasuke does is no concern of mine," Itachi said uncaringly, "If he is held back, then so be it."

"You are happy because he would not have to see lives taken at an early stage in life, are you not? Thirteen is certainly much older than four—when you took your first life."

Itachi said nothing. To say something would signal that he was defensive. He had to act uncaring.

"Then again," Madara mused, "You are different from your brother. Still, how do you expect him to achieve the Mangekyou Sharingan with Edward Elric-kun holding him back?"

Itachi was silent for a moment. Then—tonelessly—"I highly doubt that my brother being with the 'Edge of Death Elric' will be to his disadvantage."

"Ah," Madara smiled, "So you've been keeping tabs on your old friend too."

"Hardly," Itachi replied coldly, "But it is hard not to hear about the Edge of Death and his… techniques."

He wondered where the blond had learned such techniques. They deeply disturbed him on an intrinsic level where his values of ninja resided, but at the same time… it was just like Edward. Could he be the key to peace? The final puzzle that the Sage of Six Paths left incomplete when he died?

Madara's lips stretched into a grin that was anything but reassuring, "Indeed, it is hard not to hear about the ninja who shakes the foundation of the ninja world. I would not be surprised if he's had to deal with more assassination attempts than you. He is very… interesting, is he not?"

"He is a genius ninja," Itachi conceded. Even enemies could admit to that.

"Genius he may be, but he does not have your… ruthlessness." Madara's lips twitched upwards at the last word, as if he were sharing a silent joke that Itachi should understand but couldn't. "Your brother will be held back from this bloody ninja path simply because of Elric-kun's humanitarian ways."

"You seem well informed of Elric's movements," Itachi commented dryly.

"Yes well," Madara replied with a sudden, amused expression, "I do like to keep an eye on potential enemies… or allies."

Itachi felt his blood freeze. _What?_

"After all," Madara continued with that odd, scary smile of his, "We both desire world peace, don't we?"

Itachi felt his heart settle back from his throat and his circulation start again as he blinked. Ah. Of course. It was just Madara and his insane delusions again. There might be something to fear, since Madara was deadly intelligent and equally as unpredictable. When he set his mind on something, Itachi had the terrible feeling that he would eventually get it. Still, the situation was not as bad as Madara's words had made it to be. Itachi was sure that Edward could resist anything that Madara threw at him. He was strong.

"Your definition of peace and his are very different," Itachi replied in a monotone. If possible, he'd like to keep Madara's attention off Edward. He wondered about the sudden interest, when Madara had not mentioned anything about the blond since the first night—the night of the massacre. "I have observed him well the few years I was his partner."

There it was, that odd smile of his. "People can change. Are you sure our ideals of peace are so different, Itachi?"

Itachi was silent. Then— "Perhaps, I cannot tell. I do not care much for peace after all."

A wry smile spread across Madara's lips, "No, I suppose you do not."

"Quite frankly," Itachi continued, adding a hint of contempt into his voice, "I think it's a waste for someone of your talent to seek world order. I follow you because you are strong, but you should give up on your foolish dream. If you do not, I will surpass you."

That was almost the most he'd ever said to Madara at once, but he had to keep up his pretence. He was someone who sought only power, and murdered his clan for power. He had to be passionate about it.

"Surpass me?" Madara said, sounding amused. He took a step forward, and gave Itachi a sneering once over. Then, he smiled, and it looked almost… the emotion was gone as quickly as it came, only leaving a sneer of mockery. "No… your eyes are not the same as mine. Not even close. How disappointing, my apprentice."me

Itachi stood stalk still, and Madara turned away. The ancestor Uchiha looked to the sky, putting his hands in his pockets. "Itachi… I expect the mission to be done within a week. Do not let me down."

And then, he was gone.

Itachi waited a moment, spreading out his sense to make sure that no one was near. When he was satisfied with his analysis, he finally let out a small breath of relief. He was not sure what Madara wanted from that conversation, but it had put him on edge. Actually, every time he dealt with the ancestor Uchiha, Itachi couldn't be sure he would come out alive. He had thought that the suspicion had been lifting these past few years, to the point where Madara almost trusted him, but evidently something had happened to raise Madara's reservations again. Question was, what?

As far as Itachi knew, there had been no big events recently, especially not anything done by Edward. Was it possibly, just the graduation event? But why in the world would Madara care about that? Also, if so interested in the graduation, why not mention Naruto-kun? He was a Jinchuriki, and Itachi would have thought that Madara would be interested in— Unless… Itachi's mind made some quick calculations.

Possibly… was it possible that Madara simply wanted to test Itachi's reactions about his brother? It suited the ancestor Uchiha's personality to want to test the waters now that Sasuke was joining the ninja world. By not mentioning Naruto-kun, Madara wanted to see if Itachi would accidently bring up the blond, and thus reveal that he was in fact, keeping tabs on his brother. Madara had always been suspicious of Itachi's reason from sparing Sasuke, even if Madara conceded that he would do the same. Was the whole conversation staged so Madara could gauge the level of truth Itachi had given him all those years ago?

But something didn't sit right with Itachi about that conclusion. If Sasuke was the topic, why bring in Edward? Itachi didn't know, and at the same time, he knew that he probably _wouldn't_ be able to know until he found out more about Madara. That was why he was in Akatsuki, right? To spy on Madara. That was why he was doing such despicable acts such as…

Itachi's eyes shifted to the pile of bodies in the forest clearing. Even throughout the whole conversation, he had not forgotten they were there. He had pretended that the lives he had taken did not affect him, but truthfully they were never far from his mind. Itachi took a step forward, towards the pile of bodies.

He bowed his head in a quick moment of respect, then separated the civilian's body from the ninja. Going through the hand gestures, Itachi took a deep breath and blew out fire. It was not his family's fire jutsu— he could not use it for something like this— it was another jutsu he had copied somewhere down the line.

The flames consumed them. Smoke billowed into the air, making Itachi's eyes sting and the sky seem red behind them. He coughed, a wave of dizziness hitting him as his illness took hold of his body once again.

Itachi went to his knees, but was glad that his sickness had decided to wait. He hacked into the dirt, fists clenching as he fought of the ripples of pain. He shuddered, but did not dare scream. He did not want to attract any attention. He wondered how long he could hide it from Madara; Kisame he knew, was on the verge of discovering.

The illness had hit him sometime after he joined Akatsuki, though he wasn't of the reason. Perhaps… perhaps it was his ancestors haunting him, for the despicable act he had done. Even if it were for the peace of Konoha, the murder of the Uchiha clan was…

Itachi crouched there for a moment, shivering with pain. Finally, the episode passed, and his expression closed off, Itachi arose. The pile of bodies was still burning brightly in front of him.

The Uchiha turned, and slowly started walking away. He walked towards his meeting place with Ksiame, towards the new mission for Akatsuki. He walked away from the pillage of flames behind him, of the ones whose souls he had taken.

Itachi closed his eyes. The episode had reminded him of his crimes. He had the ghosts of everyone he killed haunting him with every step he took. He could never escape. He did not need smoke to distort the colour of the sky. He had not seen the colour of the sky for years now, and only in his dreams could he revisit that peaceful brilliance.

Blue skies?

No, all he saw now was a bloody red.

* * *

A/n: Wow, lots of stuff happening with Itachi. Hoped you enjoyed seeing him again! ;)

When I first sat down to plan Madara, I realized that he had to be really stupid or overconfident to do what he did at the Kage's Summit. And then, I realized why why Kishimoto did it— it has something to do with Madara's true objectives I think. If I'm right, my respect for Kishimoto will have gone through the roof (because seriously, I never would have thought of it if I wasn't racking my brain for ideas on this fic). This whole last arc suddenly makes so much sense. But if I'm wrong… well then, I hope that Kishimoto has something equally as surprising his sleeve.


	20. IX

A/n: I did mean to post this chapter earlier, but has been screwy lately. Wouldn't let me edit/post. So... it's totally not my fault this chapter is late! Anyway, hope you enjoy!

**hitai-ite**- forehead protector

**sensei**- teacher/master

**aniki**- older brother

**onii/nii**- variation of older brother

Chapter 9- Chaos

"YOU'RE LATE!" Sakura and Naruto both screeched, only for Naruto to earn a bonk on the head. Naruto grinned sheepishly; well, he supposed he deserved it. After all, he and Sasuke had only came to the bridge five minutes earlier. After five days with their new sensei, Sasuke had quickly figured out that being late was Kakashi's habit, and convinced Naruto to stay home until almost three hours after the designated time. Naruto quickly agreed, never liking to waste time, but unfortunately Sakura was not so easy to convince.

"Well…" Kakashi smiled, "You see, there was this blind old man who couldn't find the way back to his house and…"

"LIAR!"

This time Sakura did not bonk him on the head.

Kakashi scratched his head, beaming, "Well alright then, how 'bout we go get another mission then."

No. No, no, no. Naruto didn't care if he sounded like a kid; he didn't want another stupid D-rank today! Edward nii-san had been exceptionally busy since he'd been made jounin, and was sometimes out of the house for weeks on end. Sasuke and Naruto didn't want to spend their precious time with Edward training, so in these past months they had hardly learned anything personal. "When are you going to train us, Kakashi-sensei?"

"Eh? Train?"

"Well yeah," Naruto said as if it were the most obvious thing in the world, "'Cause you're our _sensei_ you know, as in, teacher? You're supposed to help us get stronger?"

"Um… how about you learn some stuff later, and do missions now? It helps… build your teamwork, and it pays…"

"But- but- but-!"

"Not an issue," Sasuke thankfully decided to help Naruto out. Then again, Naruto knew that the dark haired Uchiha was getting annoyed with Kakashi's lack of mentorship too. Naruto couldn't explain his points very well, but Sasuke could; there was no way Kakashi was getting out of training them now! "Naruto and I live with a jounin, so his pay covers for the both of us. Sakura has parents who support her, and therefore she does not need the money. Our teamwork will not suffer if we take every second day off to train, especially if the training is a team building experience."

Woot Sasuke! Ha, let's see how Kakashi would argue against _that_!

"Um… um…" Kakashi glanced at Sakura, obviously hoping to find some sort of support, but she just glared at him, clearly still mad about his lateness, "This… this is insubordination!"

"Good," Sakura crossed her arms over her chest, her green eyes narrowed, "It's about time we took down the captain."

Sasuke snorted, shaking his head, "Whatever, we'll just ask Aniki. I'm sure he'll be glad to train us. Tch, no wonder Kakashi never passed a team before- he sucks at teaching!"

The lack of the attachment of _sensei_ was apparent. Kakashi slumped, looking beaten, "Fine, I've been defeated. It's just… you two know so much already, and actually I would say you're past genin level already. If you took the chuunin exams… you could pass. I'm not sure if I should teach you anything, that'd give you way more advantage than other genins."

"But other genins have their family jutsus!" Naruto protested, "Besides, since you're our mentor, wouldn't it look good for you to have _outstanding_ students? I bet you'd get, I dunno, promoted or something!"

"I don't want to get promoted," Kakashi's tone almost sounded wistful, which was odd, "But I suppose you do have a point. Maybe it'd score a hit with the ladies if… hehehe… okay, I'll train you. Hm, I know you two know tree climbing already, so how 'bout water walking? Yes? Okay then, how 'bout this basic C-rank jutsu called Earth Release: Entrapment? Yes? Alright, how 'bout…"

It went on. By the end of the hour, Naruto felt like his head was going to explode from all the nodding he had to do. It was crazy! But… but at least it showed how much ahead of all the academy students Naruto and Sasuke were. Naruto would have never guessed how awesome they were, because Edward nii-san had admitted that he had never been a genin and therefore didn't know the standards, but it sounded like from Kakashi's explanations, Sasuke and Naruto were really ready to be chuunin!

At least… ability-wise they were. Naruto still wasn't too sure about his decision making skills. He still remembered that fateful day of the escaped prisoner, where he had wanted to show off, and had forced Nii-san to kill. Would he ever forget it?

"…how about affinities?"

Naruto was just about to nod his head, when he paused. Wait a minute, they had never learned about affinities! He felt his blood pump, his whole body filling with excitement, "No!"

"Oh thank god I found something… although, this is a jounin thing… oh well, what the heck, they'll need to learn it sooner or later. Okay, so do you know what affinities you are so far?"

All three genin shook their heads.

"Eh? Then how did you do all those jutsus during your genin exam?"

Sasuke shrugged, "We just did them. Aniki didn't want us to train our affinities was because he said it'd limit us. So, Naruto and I learned a whole splattering of D and C-class jutsus, as well as a few B-rank. It's just that we found certain types of jutsus easier to perform, so that's why we prefer to stick by those kinds, though we can do all five types."

"Hm well… I don't have any chakra paper on me right now, but I would bet you anything that the types you find easier are your affinities. D and C-class jutsus of everything are a good basis; your brother knew what he was talking about. A and S-class jutsus however, can only be performed with whatever you have an affinity for. Affinities also allow you to control the element without using a jutsu, for example a water affinity like your brother can moisten the air into mist just by willing it. Now, what are the element you have the easiest time with?"

"Wind," Naruto replied unhesitatingly, thinking back to all those times when Edward nii-san had somehow given him a bath without using any jutsus. Hehehe… it was finally time to get revenge.

"Fire and Lightning."

"Hm… wow Sasuke, it looks like you've already developed your second affinity unconsciously; must be because you started either fire or lightning jutsus while you were young, even if it wasn't your affinity. Alright then, I'll start you two on your individual affinity training, and Sakura, you shall start the wonderful art of water walking. Oh what luck! There's a lake right beneath us! Ack- Sakura! What are you doing? Hey, hey! It was a joke, it was a- Noooooo, not my 'Icha, Icha'!"

* * *

Kakashi stared, and stared. He really couldn't help it.

They were waiting in line for their next mission, and various ninjas were busy scrambling to categorize the requests sent in to them. It was loud, it was hectic, it was important… and the braided blond was sleeping! At one of the desk stations, where ninja were supposed to be ordering missions, Edward Elric was blissfully asleep, completely unaware of the world around him. Elric was leaning into the desk, using it as a pillow as his arms dangled uselessly at his sides. His cheek was pressed against a scroll, and Kakashi just knew that it would leave ink stains when the blond woke up.

The Sandaime followed Kakashi's line of sight, and Kakashi mentally prepared himself. The Hokage didn't look it, but he could be a damn menace when he wanted to. Inwardly –and rather gleefully— Kakashi wondered what punishment the blond would get. To his completely surprise and horror, the Hokage simply smiled. "Ah… Edward that poor boy, I must have worked him too hard this past week. I shouldn't have let him come today."

Um… what? If Kakashi was found sleeping on duty… well, he didn't even want to _think_ about the consequences.

The Sandaime must have caught Kakashi's surprised look. The old man smirked, shaking his head. "It was entirely my fault. I gave Edward a workload that should have taken a month, even for someone of his capacity, but I said I needed it urgently. He finished it within two weeks. I have a feeling he hasn't been getting much sleep, and it's my fault. I should have specified."

"Oh," Kakashi whipped his head around at the voice, finding an unusual sight of Naruto looking completely murderous, "_Oh_. So that's why Edward-niisan wasn't able to teach me anything this past week. It was because of _you_."

Surprisingly, —or maybe not so surprisingly, considering whom Edward lived with— Sasuke actually looked resentful too.

The Hokage actually gulped, looking nervous, "Right… um… so onto business."

Inwardly, Kakashi snorted. As if the Hokage was ever nervous— but he supposed the old man liked to indulge children.

"Kakashi's Team #7, your next mission is..." The Sandaime trailed off, squinting at the wrinkled paper in front of him, "Hm… babysitting an elder's grandson, shopping in the neighbourhood village, and helping with the potato digging..."

"NO! NO! NO! No thank you!" Naruto shouted, looking like he still wasn't over the whole Edward thing, "I want to do, you know, more incredible missions! Find us a better one! But! But! We keep on getting the crappiest possible duties!"

Kakashi blinked at the interruption, then sighed. Ah, he should have expected this. Still, he wished that Naruto wasn't so loud. Kakashi would have thought Naruto would at least consider the person sleeping… Kakashi looked again to the braided blond, feeling his eyebrows rise in astonishment. Somehow, that Edward was still sleeping through this.

"You idiot!" One of the workers —Iruka, if Kakashi remembered correctly— screamed back, jumping up from his seat, "Everyone starts up from the simple duties and works their way up!"

Again, Kakashi couldn't help his surprise. What was this? The normally calm academy teacher actually had a temper? But then again… Kakashi cast a surreptitious look at his other two 'normally calm' students; Naruto did seem to bring out the worst in everyone.

The Sandaime sighed, and with a blush, Iruka sat back down again. The Hokage turned towards Naruto, his usual cheery grin nowhere present, "Listen, everyday this village receives numerous requests, from babysitting… to assassinations. Each request is written down on these lists, and divided into…"

"Hey you know," Naruto whispered to Kakashi, "I have proof that the healthy food stuff is a bunch of crap."

Kakashi turned to the blond, interested in spite of himself. Really? There was proof? Kakashi hated health foods, and it would be a blessing beyond words to know that he wouldn't have to eat them to be in top shape. Oh yes, there would be consequences for not listening to the Hokage, but really, did Kakashi need to listen? After all, he already knew about the ranks…

"See," Naruto said secretively, "I'm real energetic and all, but I never eat anything healthy! Sasuke-teme does though, but as you can see, it gets him nowhere. He's always such a downer, I'm way more energetic! I CAN live on only ramen, and thrive! Just last night I had pork ramen, so miso sounds good for…"

"Hey! Listen!"

Kakashi chuckled nervously, scratching the back of his head as he turned back to the Hokage. He didn't feel like a bratty kid who had just been caught stealing rice… no, not at all…"I… I apologize."

"Geez!" Naruto huffed from his place on the floor, crossing his arms. "All you do is give lectures like that. Don't you think Edward-niisan already told me all that? I know about the ranks, blah blah blah. But we can still do a C-rank can't we? I'm not the same kid I was _before_, so stop treating me like that bratty kid!"

Kakashi sighed; he was so going to get yelled at for this.

"Hm…" The Hokage seemed to be lost in thought for a moment, "Ok then."

Naruto opened his mouth to argue some more, but then the Hokage's words seemed to catch up to him. "Wait… huh?"

_What?_

"If you want it that much…" The Hokage smiled, steeping his fingers together, "I'll give you C-rank mission. It's a protection mission of a certain individual."

Naruto blinked, then jumped in excitement, punching his fists into the air. "Yatta! You're the best old man! Who will we be protecting? Who? A Fuedal Lord? A Princess? Or… or maybe it's an important noble, like the one you gave Edward-niisan for his first mission!"

The Hokage blinked, glancing at the slumbering boy beside him, "I thought I told Edward not to tell you guys about his missions. Ah, it can't be helped I guess… Calm down Naruto, I'm about to introduce your client now. Please Tazuna, come in!"

The door slowly swung open, and an old civilian man stumbled out.

"What's this?" Squinting through his foggy glasses at the genin, the client seemed all together unimpressed. Kakashi himself, felt unimpressed by the client. A drunk. _Grreeaaat_. Sasuke too, looked unimpressed. Sakura, disturbed. Naruto… well, he hadn't actually got over 'shocked' yet.

Tazuna snorted, crossing his arms and sneering at the Hokage. "How're they supposed to protect me? I'm an important bridge builder you know. They're all a bunch of super brats, especially the shortest one with the stu-"

The client never got to finish, because in an instant he was pinned to the ground by a demonic looking Elric. Kakshi blinked in surprise, he didn't even think his Sharingan could have caught the blonde's movement.

"Who are you calling short?" Elric whispered dangerously, digging his elbow into the client's throat.

"Oh boy, not again," Sasuke muttered, sighing. "Hey Aniki! Wake up!"

Kakashi raised a brow. Wake up? Elric wasn't even awake…? This was a freaky jounin, and here Kakashi thought Gai was bad.

Elric seemed to blink, his golden eyes turning considerably warmer, or at least, not as frightening. He got off the client, scratching his head with a sheepish grin, "Haha, sorry. Just don't say the word 'short' around me. It's an ingrained reaction."

The Hokage sighed, "Edward, you've really got to get over that. You can't go killing off clients just because of a word. Besides, it's not like you were ever really short, so I don't understand where this reaction comes from… though I admit that compared to some people you did seem quite—"

"Finish that sentence and I will kill you," Elric glared, "Hokage or not."

The Sandaime chuckled nervously, and somehow Kakashi got the impression that it was real this time. "Aw come on Edward, aren't you okay with your little brothers saying it? Shouldn't you give me the same courtesy?"

"No," Elric said flatly.

"No what?" The Sandaime asked, looking confused.

"He means he doesn't let us say it either," Sasuke sighed, now glaring at the blond jounin.

"Yeah…" Naruto said in a surprisingly small voice, one arm rising to his chest in phantom pain, "The last time I did… That was the time I ended up in the hospital, 'cause even Edward-niisan's medical skills weren't enough to cure me."

The Sandaime looked really scared now.

Naruto suddenly burst out laughing. "Ha! HA! You fell for it! Of course there isn't an injury beyond Edward-niisan's medical skills! AHahA!"

Tazuna seemed to perk up at this, glancing at Edward like a hungry hippo, "You have legendary medical skills?"

Elric glanced at the Hokage, "I'd say there are still some people who could beat me. But yes, my medical skills are above average. You could say that is what qualified me for jounin."

Ah? Kakashi's eyes narrowed in suspicion. Elric was keeping something from them, that much was obvious. But from the looks of it, the Hokage knew, so it couldn't really be a cause for concern. Still, Kakashi was suspicious. And if it was Edward's _medical_ skills that qualified him for jounin, did that mean his fighting skills were limited? Or he had only mastered one element? The silver haired jounin made a note to research the so called 'older brother' of his two students. Yes, he had heard about the 'Edge of Death', but the rumours had only told him one aspect of Elric's skills.

"Really?" Tazuna looked positively gleeful. He turned to the Hokage, a predatory gleam in his eyes, "Can I take this guy instead? He's young, but he seems so much more competent than the other brats."

"Why you-!" Naruto growled, lunging forwards. It was only Kakashi's restraining hand that stopped him.

"What's the point of killing the person we're supposed to protect?" The silver haired jounin muttered, "No matter how much you dislike the guy, you can't allow your emotions to interfere with your work."

The Hokage hummed, his lips twitching as if he had heard Kakashi's and Naruto's little side exchange. Coughing in a way that sounded suspiciously like a laugh to Kakashi, the Sandaime Hokage turned to Tazuna with a serious look on his face. "I am sorry, Edward is a jounin, and as a jounin, very expensive to purchase. If you would like Edward, you would have to pay almost 30 times what you've already paid."

Tazuna paled, but his face quickly closed off. He grunted, crossing his arms and turning away. "Fine fine, I'll stick with the brats. Sheesh, you people are so stingy."

"Says the person who won't pay a bit more money when he wants higher protection," Elric grumbled quietly, then turned to the Hokage with a sour face. His voice was quiet, and would have been impossible to hear for anyone who wasn't Kakashi. "And _please_ don't 'help' me like that again, you make me sound like cattle. What's wrong with saying I have special privileges?"

Special privileges? Kakashi had to bat down a rising brow. Why in the world would the blond get 'special privileges'? Inwardly, he couldn't believe that the Hokage was playing favourites, and so blatantly at that. The Hokage was supposed to be fair and just, but the Sandaime… quickly, Kakashi squashed down those thoughts. He would not commit blasphemy. Besides, it wasn't as if he disliked the Sandaime, it was just that sometimes, Kakashi couldn't help but question his leader's judgement. He really hoped the old man wasn't going senile.

But still… The Hokage always had picked the best for Konoha, and Kakashi had never once thought the Sandaime did wrong when it came to big decisions. Besides, it wasn't as if the other Hokages never played favourites. The Yondaime himself… Kakashi shook his head slightly, stopping that line of thought before it could progress any further. No, he didn't want to think about the Yondaime. Couldn't.

The Hokage coughed slightly, catching Kakashi's attention, to which the silver haired jounin was completely thankful. The Sandaime raised a brow at Elric, his own voice equally as quiet as the blonde's. "You know why I don't want to tell anyone about your circumstances. It's just like, what's wrong with me telling others about who your teacher was for your medical jutsus? And Kakashi, it's rude to eavesdrop."

Kakashi almost flushed, feeling like a little five year old yet again. The Hokage did seem to have that effect on people. He was sure he hadn't been obvious about it, not even looking at the pair as he was listening in. But then again, he supposed that this was the skills of a kage, and that they could never be underestimated. Elric turned to look at Kakashi, a speculative look on his face. The silver haired jounin ignored it, placing his attention on the client now that he'd been reprimanded.

Tazuna was glaring down at his little genins, as if daring them to argue with him. Of course, they wouldn't, because that's what Kakashi taught them to do. Or at least, Kakashi hoped they wouldn't. "I'm the super expert bridge builder Tazuna! I expect you to provide me with super protection until we get back to Wave Country."

Elric perked up, looking away from Kakashi and staring with almost an excited gleam at Tazuna. "Wave Country?"

"Yes," Tazuna answered huffily, "The great and powerful Wave Country!"

Elric turned to the Sandaime, a hopeful look on his face.

The Hokage sighed, "Fine, fine, you did all your paperwork early anyways. You may take a vacation. Not a year long sabbatical this time, though. The time training can be excused, but the time with Sasuke? Can't."

Elric rolled his eyes, glancing at Sasuke with a grin, "Oh yes it can. I was 'helping the poor Uchiha' that time, and it's the same with this time. The council didn't care, and it won't care this time either."

Sasuke glared back. Most likely at being called 'the poor Uchiha'.

Naruto crossed his arms, a sullen look on his face. Mostly likely because Sasuke's status was once again, more important than Naruto.

Sakura looked depressed, hopelessly looking at everyone's faces to get some hint of what was going on.

Kakashi sighed. Maaa, the Edward boy was stirring things up. He was going to break Team Seven. Seriously, Kakashi hoped Elric didn't want what Kakashi thought he was implying.

"Don't worry Hokage-sama," Elric said seriously, "I won't be gone for more than a week. I made a promise didn't I?"

The Hokage smiled slightly, but unlike his usual ones, this one looked sad. "Yes, yes, of course. Alright then, you may take your vacation. And I warn you, if you're gone for more than a week, it's coming out of your pay."

Kakashi sighed. So his prediction came true after all. At least, it gave him time to pry some secrets from the maddening blond.

Elric laughed, turning to Team Kakashi with an arrogant grin on his face, "Well well, it looks like I'll be joining you on your little mission. I haven't been to Wave Country before, even in my expeditions around the world, and this is the perfect opportunity to visit it. Hey now! Naruto, Sasuke, don't look so murderous— I'm not coming along as a ninja."

Tazuna's previously gleeful expression, fell flat.

"What?" Naruto asked in confusion, voicing everyone's question.

Elric swished his crimson cloak, covering the hitai-ite at his waist, "When this mission commences, I am no longer a ninja of Konoha, I am a regular civilian. Even when bandits and thieves attack, I will act like a regular civilian. You'll have to protect me too… hm, I could probably even close my chakra points for a better effect… nah, too painful…"

"Seriously?" Naruto looked positively delighted, "That means… that we can finally get you back for all the pain you gave us!"

Sasuke smirked, and Kakashi noticed his hands going through the familiar fire jutsus.

Elric coughed into his hand, looking slightly stunned for a moment. Quickly though, he recovered. "No, I'm a civilian, and ninjas aren't supposed to attack civilians—" Kakashi inwardly snorted. Edward was one to talk, especially when he went into a fury just by one simple word "—so you can't attack me. But that reminded me… I will not be a medical ninja. If you get hurt, I won't heal you. Naruto, Sasuke, think of this as another training exercise."

The two genins groaned, but Kakashi could tell that there was no grievance in it. Elric seemed to breathe a sigh of relief, but Kakashi thought he was the only one who noticed. Elric noticed him noticing. Once again, a pair of speculative golden eyes turned to him.

Kakashi suddenly got a very, very bad feeling about the mission…

The next day dawned bright and early, as it always did with Fire Country. Kakashi stood languidly by the gate with his hands in his pockets, only an hour late this time. Personally, he thought this was a record, but his genin didn't see it that way. Nor did his fellow jounin, for that matter.

"YOU'RE LATE!" Naruto and Sakura screamed at him, popping a few nerves in his ears.

"Really," Elric threw an easy grin in Kakashi's direction, but his golden eyes were steely. "Are jounin supposed to be this late? What if we got attacked while you were dawdling? Would these kiddies still be alive?"

Ah… so Elric was getting into the role already. But really, he would have to act better if he wanted the part of a civilian. Disapproval rang clear from the boy, as it only would with senior jounins. Kakahsi's eyes turned to upside down U's. Well, he was waaay more senior than the little golden eyed boy. "If you are worried mister, you do not have to travel with us."

Elric narrowed his eyes.

Naruto seemed to sense the tension in the air, and apparently, was better at distracting than Kakashi thought. Naruto coughed, drawing everyone's attention. "Hey! Let's go! I've never left the village before, and… um… wow, I wonder what's out there. Will there be bears? Will we have to hunt to survive? Hehe… Sakura-chan, I can definitely impress you then if…"

As he talked, Naruto grew more and more animated, until Kakashi was sure the blond had forgotten the reason he started talking in the first place. He sighed.

"Hey…" Their client sighed, "Am I really going to be safe with this brat?"

Naruto turned on the bridge builder, puffing out his cheeks in indignation. "Hey old man, don't mess with ninjas! I'm incredible! One day I will take on the super elite ninja title Hokage! My name is Uzamaki Naruto! Remember it!"

"Hokage is the village's #1 ninja right?" Tazuna drawled, raising a brow, "I doubt someone like you could become it…"

"Shut. Up."

Kakashi turned in surprise; the speaker wasn't Naruto.

Tazuna turned a glare on the genin. "Excuse me?"

"I said shut it." Sasuke repeated slowly, crossing his arms and leaning back against the wall. He had a bored expression on his face, as if what he was saying was an obvious fact of life. "Naruto will become Hokage, and that's all there is too it."

"Ye-yeah," Naruto stuttered, shooting Sasuke a faintly surprised look. Shaking his head, he turned back to Tazuna with a determined face. "I'll definitely become Hokage, and then you _will_ acknowledge me!"

Tazuna gave Naruto a long, considering look. Finally, he turned away, "No I won't you brat… even if you did become Hokage."

"Grr…" Naruto looked to be at his limit, "I'LL KILL YOU!"

"Stop it," Sasuke grabbed onto Naruto's shoulder and surprising Kakashi once again. "Do you realize what Tazuna just said, idiot? He just acknowledged that you could very well become Hokage."

Naruto stopped in his rampage, an almost vulnerable look on his face, "Re-really?"

"Yeah, idiot," Sasuke sighed, removing his hand from Naruto's shoulder, "But let's get going. I want to end this mission as soon as possible."

Naruto stuck out his tongue, "Just because you've been out before…"

The rest of the journey seemed to be in ceaseless chatter, between Naruto, Sasuke, and Elric. After a while, Sakura seemed to finally have enough of being left out. "Umm… Tazuna-san?"

"What?"

"You're from Wave country, right?"

"What about it?"

"Um… Kakashi-sensei? Do they have ninjas in that country too?"

That seemed to catch everyone's attention. Well, well, Kakashi wouldn't disappoint. "Nope, not in Wave country. But, in most other countries…"

Kakashi finished his explanation of the different villages, and looked to his genins for their reactions. Naruto and Sasuke both looked dubious, while Sakura looked overly chirpy. Kakashi shook his head, not sure whether to feel amused or exasperated, "You guys just doubted the Hokage-sama didn't you?"

"Hehe…" Naruto scratched the back of his head, and shrugged, "Well who knew that old geezer was that powerful? I mean, I totally wiped the floor with him using my sexy— ow!"

Elric smiled innocently, putting his hand back into his pocket, and blatantly ignoring the fresh red bump on Naruto's head. "If I may say so, though I'm not a ninja, I'd think that there's always more than meets the eye. If you've happened to 'defeat' the most powerful ninja in your village, I'd have to think that he let you, just like a father would let his kid win at a game of tag. As a ninja, you should understand that… right?"

Naruto pouted, glaring at the golden eyed 'civilian' as he rubbed the back of his head gently, "Edward-niisan… how could you know? Have you ever had a match with jii-san?"

For a moment, Elric looked thoughtful, then he shook his head and shrugged. "Hey, what are you talking about? I'm just your normal, average civilian. I can't fight with the most powerful ninja in Fire Country."

Naruto looked displeased by the answer, and even Sasuke seemed disappointed.

Kakashi coughed, wanting to get off such a subject while they were so close to… well, the puddle. It would not do, for the mist nins to think they had two jounin. They would freak out, then, and might not even come out. "Anyway… you guys don't have to worry about any ninja combat in a C-rank mission."

"You mean we won't come in contact with foreign ninjas?" Sakura looked positively delighted. Hm… so the kunochi didn't like the idea of combat did she? Well, Kakashi would have to change that.

But as for now… his acting skills were much better than his three genins. His eyes curved into upside down U's, indicating a smile. "Haha…. Of course not! Hahaha…"

The bridge builder however, didn't seem to find this funny at all. Strange… perhaps, he knew about the mist nins? Sasuke seemed to notice too, as did Elric, but the latter didn't seem to give it much thought. Or maybe he was just playing his role of civilian, much like Kakashi was playing his role of obliviousness.

As he felt the two ninjas rise out of the puddle behind him, Kakashi couldn't help the little snort that escaped him. Honesty, did two Chuunin level at best mist nins seriously think they could take on a jounin? Maa… well, Kakashi supposed that he had been expecting his genin to do the same. Still, there was a large difference in capturing, and killing. Besides… it wasn't like he ever fought his kids seriously…

The chain wrapped tightly around him, and Kakashi made sure to put on a stunned look for show.

"What's this?" Naruto shouted, looking truly shocked.

"Huh…?" Sakura's eyes dilated in fear, and in that moment Kakashi did feel a tiny bit of regret for taking away that innocence. But really, if the three genin hoped to become truly ninja, then they would have to face this reality sooner or later. Besides, this was the only way to find out who the target was. Though, if Tazuna's reaction earlier was any indication, Kakashi really didn't need to look any further. Still, he didn't like to penalize others without proof.

"One down," One of the two brothers said, tightening the chain.

Inwardly, Kakashi laughed. He quickly formed the body switch handseals, and within a second he was watching his own 'death'. For an instant, Elric's eyes flickered to his location, but they quickly returned to the scene. Kakashi didn't take much notice of it. It was not that ridiculous, for a fellow jounin to discover his location, especially not a medic-nin. Besides, it wasn't as if he were putting in an enormous effort in concealing his chakra. These new found enemies were obviously chuunin, and there was a big gap between jounin and chuunin.

"Two down." The mist nins appeared behind Naruto, sinister grins on their faces.

Sasuke took a quick glance at Elric, who didn't even move to help. With a nod to himself, Sasuke sprang from his spot beside Tazuna, and flew to Naruto's side. Reaching into his weapons pouch, he sent two shuriken flying, tangling up the mist nins' chain. A second later, Sasuke landed on top of the mist nins' heads, flipping himself over and giving them each a powerful kick. Kakashi felt his eyes curve into upside down U's. This was more than he expected from Sasuke, even from everything Kakashi had already seen in training. Taking out two Chuunins on first try… my, my.

But, as it was, ninja were ninja, no matter how stupid they seemed. The Chuunins immediately let go of their chain, and each headed towards different directions. One headed towards Naruto, and the other Tazuna. Sakura immediately moved in front of the client, despite her previous complaints of not wanting to fight. For a split second, Sasuke hesitated, glancing at Naruto. Then, he seemed to decide that Naruto could handle himself, and flew to Sakura. Kakashi felt a well of pride bubble up within him, and decided it was time to act.

It was over in an instant.

"Edward…" Kakashi said, hoisting the two mist nins in his arms, grey eyes scanning the scratch mark on Naruto's hand. "I'm surprised you didn't act. What if your little bunnies had gotten killed? That was risky, even for the 'Edge of Death Elric'."

Elric stiffened, but then seemed to shake it off. He walked slowly towards Naruto, only allowing a slight interest to be revealed in his tone, "It wasn't risky at all. I trust a jounin to look after his genins after all—" The piercing, _but you didn't_, rang clearly in the air. "—and I don't appreciate you using that name. It's misleading."

"Why not?" Kakashi smiled, dismissing Elric's hidden insult. "I think it suits your double-edged techniques. On one hand, you can bring someone back from the fringe of death, on the other hand, you can bring someone _to_ the edge of death… For a regular ninja, amazing techniques are what keeps them alive, but something about how you do things…"

Like how he brought a ninja to the edge of their death for instance. He had never heard of someone, who could stripe another of their life's worth, without exactly destroying life itself. It was monstrous.

Elric stopped at Naruto's hand, picking it up and examining it closely, "Are you suspicious of me, Kakashi? I've really had enough of that. Besides, you shouldn't judge anything unless you've heard the full story."

"Yeah!" Naruto agreed loudly, waving his free hand to make a point, "Edward-niisan's not suspicious at all! Give him a chance!"

"Stop it Naruto," Elric commanded, and the blond genin froze. Kakashi narrowed his eyes at the instinctual response. Edward had this much power over their jinchuriki… "Their claws are soaked in poison. You have to open the wound to release the poison from your body. Don't move much, the poison will spread."

"Ack!" Naruto cried, but didn't dare move, "Can you cure me though, nii-san?"

"Hum…" Elric dropped the hand, smiling, "Nope. I'm just a regular civilian remember? Oh and, good job, Sasuke."

Sasuke beamed, allowing Kakashi to catch a glimpse of the Uchiha that he had never seen before. The silver haired jounin blinked in surprise, hardly able to believe that this side of the usually stoic Uchiha existed.

"Yeah," Naruto muttered sullenly. "Good job Sasuke. I'll be sure to save _you_ next time."

Sasuke threw a lazy glance at Naruto, grinning. "You giving up already, scaredy cat?"

Naruto threw back another insult, but Kakashi paid it no mind. Now, all his attention was focused on the bridge builder. "Tazuna-san… I need to talk to you."

Tazuna sighed, "You're right this job is most likely outside of your duties. It turns out a super dangerous man is after my life."

"Super dangerous man?" Kakashi paused, his mind rapidly going through and filtering the people around the area who could be counted as dangerous. In the end, there were just too many. "Who?"

Tazuna looked away, his voice having something akin to bitterness. "You've probably at least heard his name before. The wealthy shipping magnate… a man named Gato."

"Gato?" Elric blurted out before Kakashi could, looking surprised. He licked his lips, and tested the name on his tongue, "Why does that sound... familiar?

"It couldn't be…" Kakashi muttered, "Gato from the Gato Company? He's said to be the world's few extremely wealthy people."

This… made the whole mission much more troublesome. If for some reason Gato really was going against Tazuna, then it would actually be in Konoha's favour not to participate in this mission. They would upset a potentially great client if word reached Gato's ears, especially if Tazuna wasn't even going to pay them for the deed.

"Yes," Tazuna sighed, turning back to them with a resigned look on his face, "Officially, he runs large shipping companies. But, secretly, he sells drugs and other illegal items using ninjas and gang members to take over… businesses and countries. He's a very nasty man. It was about a year ago when he set his eyes on Wave Country. Through money and violence, he quickly took control of the country's shipping industry. Gato now has a monopoly on all business traffic in the country. The only thing he has to fear now is the completion of the bridge."

"I see…" Sakura said with a thoughtful frown, having turned her attention from Sasuke and Naruto at some point or another and instead focusing on the adults. "Since you're building the bridge, you're in the way."

Naruto wrinkled his nose, "Woah, uncool. But ah— why hasn't this Gato guy paid you off yet? I mean, if he doesn't want you to build the bridge, couldn't he just bribe you or something?"

"Idiot," Sasuke muttered, "Why would a tyrant businessman pay someone off when he could just assassinate them? Those ninja were hired by Gato, right?"

"Who's the idiot?" Naruto snorted, "I think it's a lot cheaper to pay off a poor bridge builder who can't even afford a B-rank mission than to hire a bunch of ninja."

Kakashi was impressed that Naruto had managed to connect the dots. He really should stop underestimating the blond. Sakura and Sasuke were of course, as sharp as always. Kakashi couldn't help but feel a moment's of pride. His team was so smart!

Tazuna shook his head, "He can't buy me off, and he knows it."

There was a story behind that one, but Kakashi wasn't heartless. He wasn't going to press where things could end up exploding.

"Ah!" Elric suddenly exclaimed, "I just remembered! Gato… is a client I had!"

There was a moment's of silence, and blank looks from everyone.

Elric blushed, scratching his head with an apologetic look at Tazuna, "Oh… sorry. A few years ago, I had to accompany an upstart businessman to a contract deal, and he was afraid of getting assassinated. So I was hired along with somebody else to protect him. The mission didn't end to well… well, we managed to complete it anyhow. The businessman got his important contract signed. His name was Gato."

Now everyone wasn't just looking at him. They were gaping at him.

"I feel bad about that," Elric continued, "If I knew he'd turn out like this… No matter what Tazuna, I'll help you with your situation."

There was, another moment of silence. And then, Tazuna sighed, "And here I was, getting all ready to tell you a sob story about my niece. Thank you for your offer of help… Mr. Ninja."

"Wait! Wait! Wait!" Sakura exclaimed, waving her hands around frantically, "We never agreed to anything! We aren't ready for a B-rank mission, let's quit! We will need medicine for Naruto's wound. We should go back to the village and take him to a doctor."

"Hm…" Kakashi thought about this. It was reasonable, and he didn't want to lose any of his genins so early. Or at all, for that matter. Besides, most likely Elric could accompany Tazuna to Wave, and one way or another, the old man was safe. Still… something didn't sit right with him abandoning the mission. But then again, teammates were definitely more important than a mission any day. He had learned that the hard way. "Yes, you might be onto something there Sakura. This might be too much. I guess we should return to the village and treat Naruto."

He looked around, and everyone seemed to be agreeing. Even Sasuke, though he looked a bit sullen about it. Well, everyone except— Naruto whipped a kunai out, and ran it through his hand.

"Naruto! What are you doing?" Sakura screamed, voicing Kakashi's thoughts. What in the world was the little chibi thinking? Was he so into self-harm?

"With this kunai…" Naruto pulled out the weapon, beads of sweat clinging onto his face, "I'll protect the old man. We're continuing the mission!"

Kakashi blinked, stunned. Naruto was… Naruto was… Kakashi felt his lips curve into a smile. Yes, Naruto did have a chance to become Hokage after all.

"Seriously," Elric sighed, taking a roll of bandages from his pack. He leant down to bandage Naruto's hand, then patted genin's head, smiling. "Don't do that again."

"But—but—"

"Once is enough," Elric said, wrapping the white cloth a few times around Naruto's hand. "Right?"

Naruto blinked, then nodded happily, "You bet'cha!"

Kakashi sighed; what a relationship those three had…

"By the way," Elric looked lazily at Kakashi, but there was anything but laziness present in those accusing yellow eyes, "Since we're continuing, but it's apparently going to be more dangerous, shouldn't we send for some backup? I for one, don't want to lose my life. Ninjas have those summon thing right? Well, why don't you use one?"

Kakashi's eye twitched at the tone the blond was using with him, and the insinuation that Kakashi wasn't smart enough to figure it out. Kakashi had thought of that, but he decided he wanted his team to get real field experience. Besides… "Tazuna doesn't have enough money to hire backup."

Still, now that would not sit well with the Edge of Death. Elric turned to look at Tazuna, and although Kakashi could not see the blond's expression, he did see the arrogant old man gulp in fear. Elric cleared his throat, turning back to Kakashi, "Well then, I'm sure Tazuna here will get more money when they finish building the bridge. So, I'll pay for a genin team now, and Tazuna will pay me back later."

A genin team? Why…? Oh yes, because every genin cell came with a jounin sensei, and although jounins themselves were difficult to afford, when they came with their genin teams their own prices were null. Very tricky, Mr. Elric. Shooting Elric a knowing grin with his eyes, Kakashi bit his thumb and ignoring the wide eyed look of almost everyone present, summoned one of his nin dogs. Giving a strict order to report to the Hokage of everything, and request backup, Kakashi let his dog run.

The rest of the journey passed in relative peace at least, and they even managed to make light conversation. That is… until Naruto decided to go berserk with the weapons.

"There!" He yelled, throwing yet another kunai into the foliage.

"I said stop!" Sakura screamed, whacking Naruto on the head, "There's no one there!"

"Aw… that isn't a nice thing to say. I don't think I'm 'no-one', though Mikael might be considered that…"

The group froze, turning towards the source of the voice.

The sun shown down brilliantly on the three new figures, one of which was twirling Naruto's kunai around like it was a small toy. An ancient looking sword swung from his hips, a sharp contrast to his young and innocent appearance. He smiled, tilting his head slightly, his long blonde hair covering his right eye.

"Ha! Ha! See?" Naruto pointed to the trio, smirking at Sakura, "I told you there was someone shadowing us!"

Sasuke ignored Naruto completely, narrowing his eyes at the newcomers, "Who are you?"

Kakashi took in the other two boys, and felt his blood freeze. Suddenly, he remembered the three faces, the three faces that had surprised and amazed him. The blond one, with the hidden eye. The golden haired boy, with the twig stuck lazily between his lips. The black haired one, who always wore a long wool hat. They were the three that had only been added to the bingo book a year ago, but in a year had risen to A-class. They were…

"Oh us?" The blond grinned, "I'm Ares, the one that looks like a zombie is Mikael, and this is Baruna. We're… ninjas from the Village of Chaos."


	21. X

Chapter 10- Old Friends

Kakashi frowned lightly as he assessed the new individuals, trying to remember everything about them. The Village of Chaos… if he'd remembered correctly, then it wasn't really a village quite yet. However, it had already gained very powerful members, each of whom were trying to get money to raise their own village. It was a mercenary band, who owed no alliance to anywhere, and lent themselves out to anyone. Gato had obviously taken advantage of this fact.

Individually they were B to A-class, but nothing the silver haired jounin couldn't take care of. But… but he had also heard that their teamwork was less of teamwork, and more of one person with two clones- except of course, those two clones had completely different skill sets. Together, the three were deadly, and Kakashi imagined that even a kage would have a bit of trouble with them. If they were going to attack him together… he wasn't sure if he stood a chance.

Just then, Kakashi felt the intense stare of another on him, the killer intent almost tangible in the air. Lazily, the silver haired jounin met the gaze, returning it with almost a bored look.

"I want that one," The golden haired boy spat out his twig, uncapping his sword, "I want to test my skill against the 'Copy-nin Kakashi', the one who has been said to copy over a thousand jutsus."

Ah, so they wanted to go against him individually then. Good, that made things so much more relaxed. Kakashi felt the tension drain out of him as he gazed at the challenger. Mikael. The lightning user, the one with incredible skills in ninjutsu: the one who was supposedly completely ruthless, and always wanted to test his skills. Did that mean Mikael believed he could win despite Kakashi being the stronger one? Kakashi simply eye smiled, returning the challenge; Kakashi wouldn't lose, that was that. It didn't matter what Mikael thought.

"Fine, take him," The blond leader grinned at his teammate, then tilted his head to wink at Elric, "Hey you know, if you want to pretend to be a civilian, then make sure your steps don't sound like a warrior's. Too bad ya met me today, 'cause now I wanna fight you!"

The one who had proclaimed himself Ares looked no older than a teenager, but his lazy slouch revealed no openings yet looked effortless, revealing exactly how skilled he was. The sunny grin and light voice didn't put Kakashi off for a second; after all, he had met many ninja who could seem like idiots, but were a demon in fighting. Plus, Kakashi had heard about Ares, the one named after the god of war. His skill in swordsmanship was no joke, and there was a rumour that Ares had in fact, defeated one of the Seven Swordsman of Mist. With his wind affinity added, and his acrobatic taijutsu, the blond was not to be taken lightly.

The last one -the black haired one- sighed, "You two… just be careful Ares. Blond hair, gold eyes, red cloak… this is the 'Edge of Death'. Don't get hit by his taijutsu, alright? I'll take care of the kiddies."

Kakashi tensed; this was exactly what he had been afraid of. He wanted his team to get field experience yes, but not against a jounin! He only hoped that he could finish off Mikael in time to rescue his students. Baruna most likely, would try not to finish them off. After all, the black haired boy was known for his compassionate nature… amongst other things. Kakashi could only hope that Baruna would not deem the rest of Team Seven a threat, and simply put them out of commission using the genjutsus he was so well known for. Engaging him right now though, when one of his teammates had his eyes set on Kakashi, would be a mistake.

"Eh?" Ares turned to the dark haired boy, a questioning look on his face, "Why? What's wrong with this guy's taijutsu?"

Baruna sighed, shaking his head, "Honestly Ares, you should keep updated with the bingo book."

"Why would I need to?" Ares shrugged, "I've got you and Mikael to tell me everything. So, so? What's so special about this guy's taijutsu?"

"He's like a Hyuuga, apparently," Mikael explained, not taking his eyes off Kakashi, "He can destroy your chakra points and your tendons, if he gets a hit."

"Woah!" Naruto exclaimed, turning to Elric with wide eyes, "That's so cool!"

"And you never told us about it," Sasuke added, giving the blond haired jounin an accusing glare.

"Never saw the need," Elric shrugged, undoing his cloak slightly, revealing the Konoha headband. Elric was not going to pretend to be a civilian any longer. "You two couldn't learn it, since your chakra control wasn't good enough. Besides, you two know about plenty of other abilities that I'm sure no one else does."

"But still…!"

Elric put a finger to Naruto's lips, shutting the genin up. The jounin turned to the three mercenaries from the Village of Chaos, his voice slightly pained, "Can't we just… not fight? I wanted this to be a regular C-rank mission, where I take a nice break, and Naruto get some time outside of the village."

"Darn it," Ares scratched his head, shooting Baruna a helpless look, "I'm actually starting to like these people. Do we really have to kill them?"

"I'm sorry," Baruna actually looked apologetic, "But we can't dismiss the money Gato is offering to give us. We need it… for sensei…"

Interesting. So, these kids weren't that bad after all. Perhaps Kakashi wouldn't kill them then. He wasn't without a heart, after all. Besides, he didn't feel that his companions would be too happy with the silver haired jounin if Kakashi did kill one of these kids after they expressed their regret. Besides, they were just kids, young ones at that. It sounded like they weren't heartless, and might grow to be great ninja. It was a shame they had met under these circumstances.

"Arg!" Ares messed with his hair, probably thinking along the same lines as Kakashi, but obviously far more vocal about it, "I hate this situation! I don't mind it when we have to defeat bad guys but this is…!"

"Then just beat them," Mikael said calmly, drawing out his blade fully, sending a soft ringing sound throughout the clearing. "Our objective is to kill the bridge builder, so as long as we get rid of the old man, you won't even have to harm the others. That is the ninja way; they are hardy going to come after us once their reason to do so is taken away."

"Still," Baruna hooded his eyes, tranquilly drawing out what looked like two kunai tied together by a very long string, "This is the 'Edge of Death' and 'Copy-Nin Kakashi' we're dealing with. We'll have to go all out if we want to win. Do you mind me interfering with your fights, guys? After I'm finished with the kids?"

"Do whatever you want," Mikael swung his blade lightly, a soft glow starting to encompass it, "Help Ares first, though. I want some time with this guy."

"Hehehe…" Ares grinned, finally drawing out his blade, "It looks like even the cold hearted Mikael is touched this time. Otherwise, he'd never let us interfere with his fights, right Baruna?"

"You sound like we'll be easy to take out!" Naruto shouted, shaking his fists into the air, "But we're not! We'll guard this old man with our life! Don't underestimate us!"

Kakashi didn't get to see what happened next, because in the next instant all his attention was focused on the incoming Mikael. The golden haired boy moved… unbelievably fast. Kakashi only dodged out of the way at the last second. Kakashi flipped through the air, his hand flashing through a variety of handseals as a sudden lightning strike zipped towards him. Heh, so the Mikael kid wanted to defeat him using lighting, eh? Well, the golden haired brat was one hundred years too early.

Kakashi sent a light wind jutsu towards the blond, fuelled by the opponent's lightning strike. Mikael jumped sideways as the wind ploughed into the ground, sending up a shower of dirt. Kakashi squinted, trying to detect where the blond was, but to no avail. The dirt was blocking all his senses, making him paranoid. But, at least Mikael was in the same situation as Kakashi.

Finally, the dust cleared, and Kakashi was the first to see a blurry figure looking in the opposite direction. He didn't waste the opportunity. Kakashi leapt forwards, making sure not to disturb even a speck of dirt as he ran across the surface of the earth, jumping towards Mikael. The blond sensed him at the last second, spinning around to block Kakashi's kunai with his sword, but it was too late. Kakashi slashed at the boy's leg, intending to draw blood… and then the boy disappeared in a flash of lightning.

A clone!

Suddenly, Kakashi felt harsh metal at the back of his neck, and he knew he'd been duped. But… all was not over. Just then, Kakashi felt the figure behind him tense, and he knew that his real self had gotten there. With a small smile, Kakashi popped out of existence with a puff of smoke.

Mikael's voice was calm, controlled, but also slightly still, probably due to the kunai pointed as his throat, "When did you…?"

"Probably at the same time you did," Kakashi answered with a smile, tightening his grip on the kunai, "The dust does make for a lovely distraction, doesn't it?"

"Yes," Mikael nodded, drawing a bit of blood from his neck as it scraped against the kunai, "It is an excellent cover…"

Kakashi's eyes widened, and he quickly bent backwards, his kunai slipping through Mikael's throat. It didn't matter thought, because Mikael just disappeared in another flash of lightning. What was problematic, was the huge sword swinging above him. Kakashi cursed in his mind; he had underestimated the kid!

Not wasting any time, Mikael changed the direction of his sword mid-swing, plunging it downwards instead of across. Kakashi didn't have a choice. He caught the blade with both hands, hoping to stop its descent. A jolt of lightning passed through him, and fresh red blood seeped down his arms, forcing Kakshi to grit his teeth to seem unaffected. Using all his strength, Kakashi twisted back, ramming the swordtip into the ground and setting Mikael off balance.

Mikael was only off balance for a second though, as expected. Still, a second was all Kakashi needed. He leaped away, landing a fair distance from the cold eyes of the golden haired teen as Kakashi tried to diffuse the lightning in his body. Mikael was talented, that was for sure, if he had managed to channel chakra through weaponry. Kakashi should not have underestimated him.

"Use your Sharingan," Mikael commanded coldly, holding up his sword as lightning torrents ran across it, "Or else you won't live."

Grim faced, Kakashi pulled up his headband, and the world suddenly sharpened around him. It wasn't exactly that he thought he'd need it to defeat the brat, but he'd definitely need it to defeat Mikael _quickly_. After all, no matter how much Kakashi was impressed by his genin, he knew realistically that they would stand _no_ chance against someone of high jounin level. Compared to genins, jounins were simply too fast, too strong, had too many aces up their sleeves, and most of all… too experienced. He had to defeat Mikael quickly, before Baruna could join them. It was time to end this.

Kakashi shifted into a taijutsu stance, this time seeing Mikael come at him in almost slow motion. Mikael was going to slash to the left, that Kakashi could see clearly. However, Kakashi didn't want to give away his advantage just yet. Kakashi waited until the last moment, before he dodged out of the way, just like a regular jounin would. However, Kakashi was also flashing through handseals as fast as the eye could follow. Just as Mikael swung the blade down, Kakashi kicked his foot forwards, seeing the opening early enough to exploit it. Mikael flew backwards, slamming into a tree.

A flood of lightning raced towards Mikael, who rolled quickly out of the way… or he should have. But Kakashi had seen where Mikael would go, because in his dazed state the golden haired boy wouldn't realize where Kakashi had _aimed_ the lightning. The golden haired boy threw himself to the left of the tree… straight into Kakashi's jutsu.

Mikael let out a scream, as his body twitched as if in seizure. Slowly, it ceased, and Mikael lay there, breathing heavily. Giving the golden haired boy a slightly apologetic glance, Kakashi walked towards the enemy, kunai in hand. Mikael looked up, gazing at Kakashi hatefully as he struggled to get up. Slowly, the golden haired boy picked up his weapon, his sword almost dropping from his fingers as his hand spasmed. Kakashi sighed, and decided he should end this quickly, before he started to get regrets. Standing in front of the boy, and the boy not able to do anything but stand, Kakashi raised his kunai high in the air…

"STOP IT!"

The kunai slipped from his fingers as Kakashi whipped around, gazing wide-eyed at Mikael's unexpected rescuer. What…?

* * *

"You sound like we'll be easy to take out!" Naruto shouted, shaking his fists into the air, "But we're not! We'll guard this old man with our life! Don't underestimate us!"

Sasuke sighed; there went Naruto again, overconfident beyond belief, and aggravating beyond belief. Didn't he realize that they were facing a jounin here, and it was best _to_ be underestimated? Years of trying to up his Aniki and failing had given Sasuke a healthy respect for jounin, but it seemed that even the simplest lessons couldn't get through Naruto's thick head. _Idiot_…

"Alright," Baruna started spinning one end of his nuchucku-like weapon, then without warning, hurled one end towards them. It went almost too fast to be seen, but Sasuke's body had an ingrained reaction. He automatically leapt away sideways… but found that the attached kunai wasn't aimed towards him. The bridge builder…!

Sasuke whipped his head around to face Tazuna, only to see Aniki holding up a metal plate, the kunai penetrated deeply into the rock. Aniki threw down the rock, moving his fingers experimentally as if they had been hurt. Suddenly, Aniki pushed Tazuna forwards, sending the old man into a facefull of dirt. A second later, a torrent of wind gushed towards the blond, knocking Aniki back into a tree.

"Your opponent, is me," Ares grinned, jumping to the place where Aniki had been second before, then tearing off towards the now bent tree.

Suddenly, Sasuke felt a whoosh of air pass by his ear, and he quickly turned to see the dark haired boy with the kunai-imbedded-stone in hand. Almost detachedly, Baruna pulled out the kunai, starting to spin it once again, "That jounin is very impressive; he stopped my one-kill move. Though, it does seem like his hand's suffering from it. I wonder… are the apprentices as impressive as the teacher?"

"You bet'ca!" Naruto promised, though he looked a little shaken from the earlier scene. That kunai had moved so fast… and none of them had seen it.

A small, sad smile flitted across Baruna's face, "Then we'll see… if you have the skill to back up your words. Careful, because if you don't, you might get killed."

"We won't die here!" Naruto cried, looking like he was fully intent on arguing. Sasuke's eye twitched, and he reached out, intending to stop the blubbering idiot, when he realized something. Naruto was buying them time. Whether intentionally or not (and Sasuke was really debating that, because sometimes Naruto could be a genius, but the blond also couldn't tell a lie to save his life) Naruto was distracting the hired nin. Baruna wasn't acting, and all the genin really needed to do was buy time until either Kakashi or Aniki showed up. But hold on, wouldn't this Baruna guy also know that…?

"Really?" Baruna asked curiously, stopping the twirling of his kunai as if Naruto's determination was distracting him from his task, "Is there something you need to do?"

Sasuke's eyes widened; no, it couldn't be! He closed his eyes, trying to close off all his other senses, then suddenly threw a kunai towards the left—into empty air.

And then, the world dissolved around them. Baruna leapt away from the fallen figure of Tazuna, just avoiding Sasuke's kunai. Naruto gaped, goggling wide eyed at the bridge builder's figure, then turned his head around to where they all thought the bridge builder was lying before. There was nothing but air and the empty earth. The Baruna they were talking to, likewise wasn't there.

"Wow, it looks like you guys aren't normal genin after all," Baruna commented lightly, sounding a bit surprised.

Sasuke narrowed his eyes; he had only detected that because of the chakra-sensing ability Aniki had taught him. Sasuke had felt something was off when Baruna's chakra signature wasn't where his body was. But if it wasn't for that ability… they wouldn't have noticed at all. This was a genjutsu expert, and next time, Sasuke wouldn't be so luck. Baruna would definitely up the level of genjutsu next time.

But… it wasn't like they were completely helpless. Sasuke looked towards Naruto, who nodded and held up two fingers. Baruna would figure out it was a signal of course, but he wouldn't know what it was a signal for. Naruto grinned, and created a small army of shadow clones who all lunged towards Baruna. All they'd have to do, was make sure Baruna was too busy fighting to create an elaborate genjutsu. Sasuke turned to his last teammate, his hands already flashing through seals, "Sakura, guard Tazuna! You're the best one out of us for detecting and dispelling genjutsu!"

Not technically true, but in the future she _would_ be. He needed to build up her confidence now, and have a good excuse for why she should be the one to guard Tazuna. Just then, all of Naruto's clones started fighting each other. 'Baruna' disappeared with a poof.

"Lightning release: Clash of Titans!"

"Wind release: Drilling Air Bullets!"

Combined, Naruto's and Sasuke's jutsu raced towards the clump of clones, dispelling each and every one. Well, except for one. As soon as that clone leapt away though, Sasuke was flying forwards, aiming a kick towards the clone's head. The Naruto clone blocked it easily, but Sasuke followed up with another kick, which the clone still easily caught. Sasuke punched, which was blocked again, as the clone's hand moved forwards to meet his, Sasuke was able to slip the piece of paper within its sleeve. Hehe… Naruto seemed to appear out of nowhere, aiming a punch towards the clone's head. The clone blocked with an arm, then threw Sasuke in front of him, causing Sasuke to grunt in pain as he collided with Naruto, sending them both backwards.

Flipping backwards, the clone frantically searched within his sleeve, brining out the sheet of paper and throwing it away. Just in time. The area the paper touched exploded in an array of flame, but quickly disappeared before the forests could catch on fire. The purpose of an exploding tag after all, was not to create long term damage.

Just as the clone landed, chains erupted from his sleeve, tearing the orange fabric. But then, it wasn't orange anymore. The image of Naruto dissolved as Baruna looked in surprise at the rapid chains that were wrapping around him, trapping him like a snake. Baruna struggled, but it was to no avail, "How…?"

"Hehe, brilliant plan isn't it?" Naruto grinned, pushing Sasuke off as he jumped up, "I made this plan up originally to get Edward nii-san -erm, I guess that's 'Edge of Death' to you, or whatever- because we wanted a picture of his face when we caught him. For Sasuke's birthday, ya know. We just revised it a bit, for you."

Sasuke sighed at Baruna's still confused expression. Really, Naruto had to have a talent for explaining things without really explain them. Sasuke would just have to correct that, then. Baruna deserved no less than a full explanation. "This was a three stage trap. The clones were to distract you, but in reality we knew that you would try to change into one of them and make one of them look like you. The jutsu combo was to attack everyone, so you'd for sure get hit. I charged at you while you were avoiding the jutsus, so that you wouldn't see me coming, but just in case you did I had an explosive tag in my fist. I put the tag in your sleeve when I saw Naruto coming, so you didn't have time to react to it before he hit you. When he punched you, he stuck a seal on your sleeve, which was set to activate ten seconds after channelling chakra through it. You noticed the explosive tag, and got rid of that promptly, but the chain seal thankfully you didn't see."

Baruna shook his head, as if he couldn't believe the explanation, "That is an amazing plan, and perfectly executed. I'm sure you'll be great ninja one day. Also, thank you for allowing me the time by explaining, because now… I've got you trapped inside my genjutsu."

* * *

"Your opponent, is me," Ares grinned, jumping to the place where Edward had been second before, then tearing off towards the now bent tree. Edward cursed, rolling out of the way just as Ares smashed into the tree, nearly knocking the tree off its hinges. Jumping back to his feet, Edward leapt backwards, wanting to get as far from the genin as possible. Normally, he'd want to stay near them, but with Ares' destructive power Edward couldn't risk it. Besides, it seemed as if Baruna didn't intend to harm the genin, and it would really suck if one of them died because of the crossfire between Ares and Edward.

Now… what was the best way to beat this guy? He couldn't use fire, which was the most logical thing against a wind affinity, because of the forestry. He wasn't really sure if he wanted to use his taijutsu style either, because unlike the Hyuuga's Gentle Fist, Edward's chakra-destroying taijutsu couldn't be reversed. He usually reserved it for the scum of the earth, or missing-nins who had no future, but to cripple Ares forever would be… too harsh. Edward reached into his pack, and threw a slew of kunai towards Ares, all aimed towards vital pressure points. Ares simply waved his sword, easily batting them aside, and the ones he couldn't reach he simply dodged, moving his body as if it were putty. As he twisted, the green eyed boy threw his sword, sending it flying towards Edward.

Edward jumped sideways, his hands going through rapid handseals as he heard the dull thud of the sword imbedding itself deep into a tree behind him. He didn't have long to think about it though, because as soon as he regained his footing Ares was there, aiming a kick towards his head. Edward ducked, putting one hand on the ground. Ares followed the momentum, leaping over Edward's head and landing beside the large sword, yanking it swiftly. But Edward was already done his jutsu, "Earth Release: Entrapment!"

Edward rolled out of the way as soon as he felt the earth start to rumble, landing in a crouch. And not too soon either, because at that moment he felt the air whish by his head, signalling Ares' downward strike with his sword. He had almost got his braid cut off! Edward twisted around as soon as he was out of the way, ready to throw some senbons in vital areas. Except… Ares wasn't in the earth jutsu Edward had created. Edward looked up.

Ares was holding onto his sword hilt by one hand, completely upside down. He had used the momentum from the swing to get out of the trap before it reached its fullest strength! Edward felt a smirk dance across his lips as Ares landed, charging towards the golden eyed boy. Now this was some fight. It seemed like the one named after the god of war was something of an acrobat.

Edward had decided. There was only one way to end this. Concentrating, Edward slowly started condensing the water moisture in the air, thickening the area into a deep, dense mist. He jumped back a few paces, putting the barest hint of chakra into the mists. He could sense Ares perfectly now, see the green eyed boy in perfect detail, but Ares couldn't sense him.

Suddenly, the mists dispelled. Edward stared wide eyed at the grinning green eyed boy, who simply stood there as the mists slowly blew away. What…? Even wind affinities, had never blown away chakra-enhanced mist before.

"I know this trick," Ares stuck out his tongue, "My master was originally from Mist after all. You can't fool me with this."

Wait a minute… from Mist? Why did that… sound familiar? Just then, Ares leaped at Edward, swinging his sword. Edward dodged, but Ares didn't waste anytime, quickly following his first move with a second, and then a third, and then a forth.

Hold on, Hold on! "Ares, what was your master's name?"

"Huh, why?" Gradually, increasingly, Ares' speed seemed to get faster, and the air around them started to whistle with Ares' swings. Slowly, ever so slowly, the sword sped up, until it swung before the whooshing that accompanied it. "Oh I get it, you recognize this technique! My master is… Kiron of the Whirlwind!"

_No way_…

Pain lanced across Edward's arm, as Ares' sword finally connected. Frowning, Ares jumped back, putting his hands on his hips, "Hey, why'd you suddenly freeze like that?"

Edward sat down with a plop, resisting the urge to laugh. Huh, small world, wasn't it? He shook his head, ignoring the blood seeping down his arm, "Hm… you've grown. What happened to your red sweater? The one with the spider on its back?"

"Oh that? It got ripped up when I saved Baruna from- hey! How do you know about that? Ho-ho-hold on! You couldn't be… Edward Elric?"

Edward grinned ruefully, as he quickly went through some handseals for a healing jutsu, "I never did tell you my name today, huh?"

"Holy cow," Ares scratched his head, taking a seat beside Edward, "I'm really sorry. I can't believe I almost diced you up! But you look so different! Or maybe… I just remember you differently."

Edward rolled his eyes; tch, Ares was one to talk. Ares wasn't exactly the scrawny kid he used to be, and what the heck was with the whole Cyclops thing? And, it wasn't like Ares could have landed a hit on Edward if the alchemist wasn't distracted. But, now wasn't the time for that. Edward turned serious, "Ares, are you going to insist on going on this mission? Because if you are, even if we're friends…"

Ares seemed to get the implication, because he immediately shook his head, "No, not if it's you. I mean… we do need the money but… you saved my life once, and I still haven't repaid it."

"Good," Edward said, standing up and brushing his clothes off, "Then if you can stop your friends from wanting to kill Tazuna, I'll consider that debt repaid. I'll go stop Kakashi, can you see to my genin?"

At Ares' nod, Edward sped off. He arrived just in time too. Kakashi had his kunai high in the air, just in the position to strike down on Mikael's frozen head. "STOP IT!"

Kakashi paused, twisting his head around to blink at Edward. Edward nearly froze at the sight; even though he had heard of Kakashi's Sharingan, seeing it in person was… Edward closed his eyes, thinking of his deserted best friend. But, now was not the time to think about that.

"We've reached an understanding," Edward opened his eyes again, staring steely at Kakashi, "We've decided to cease fire."

Kakashi dropped his arm, covering his red eye again as he let out a long sigh, "Tazuna died? Well, I suppose…"

"No!" Edward shook his head, then glanced at Mikael, "Ares um… well, you should let him explain it, but basically we've decided to cease fire for the time being."

"Oh?" Kakashi perked up, looking interested, then he smiled benignly, "Oh this is good. I was afraid my little kiddies were going to be upset that they couldn't protect their first important client. Let's go back to them, then."

Without another word, Kakashi disappeared from sight, his chakra signature rapidly nearing the genin's. Edward took a look at Mikael, and stepped forwards, intending to help. Mikael's growl stopped him, "I don't know what you're playing at, but I for one, don't trust you."

Edward rolled his eyes as he felt two chakra signature coming towards them; well, it looked like he wasn't needed, then. As Edward left, he distantly heard the low voice of Mikael, "Ares, what is going on?"

Baruna's sigh followed his, "Yes, I just had the target when you stopped me…"

Edward arrived back at the clearing where Tazuna was at. The genin were all grouped together on the floor, with Kakashi standing not too far, reading that dirty book of his again. Naruto was just lying down, an arm thrown over his eyes. Sasuke was sitting, glaring at a random rock. Sakura was hugging her knees to her chest with one hand, the other hand clutching her head in pain.

"What… happened?"

Kakashi looked up from his book, his expression uncaring again, "They were caught in a genjutsu. Baruna intended to kill our client while they were in lala land. Still, it was impressive for them to hold off Baruna long enough for us to be done."

"If we didn't waste our time bragging," Sasuke said bitterly, "We would have never lost!"

"Yeah…" Naruto's voice sounded a bit depressed, which really wasn't like him, "Our plan actually worked perfectly. It's just we were too overconfident and…"

Kakashi shook his head, "Now you're being too overconfident. Do you really think three genin could stand a chance against a jounin-level ninja? If Baruna was serious, he could have wiped you out in three seconds flat. I'm proud that you've kept Baruna off for this long; most couldn't have done it."

"Hold on a moment," Edward cut in, gazing at his two self-proclaimed younger brothers steadily. He knew he shouldn't contradict their jounin-sensei because it would breed discord and… eh what the heck, Edward had never been one to follow the rules. "I believe that Sasuke and Naruto have actually forced Baruna to 'be serious'. The main reason they lost is because they aren't suited to fight against a genjutsu specialist. Weren't you serious during your bell test, Kakashi?"

Kakashi cocked his head, then eye-smiled, "I suppose I was."

Edward smiled lightly, then continued with his lecture, "Sasuke, Naruto, you two have the ability to take down a low levelled jounin, the only thing is you don't have the experience for it. Although Kakashi did take you two seriously, you still have one huge advantage over him. In Kakashi's bell test, he didn't want to kill you, but in the real world, most ninja aren't going to handicap themselves like that. Meeting Ares' team today was lucky."

Kakashi raised a brow, his smile disappearing as he gave Edward a scrutinizing look, "Oh? Do you know Ares?"

"Of course he does!" Ares walked out of the woods, with Mikael being supported by Baruna right behind him, "And don't you forget me again! Come visit us at the Village of Chaos when you have time, alright? Master Kiron would like to meet with you again!"

Baruna nodded, smiling as his gaze fell on the three genin, "You did very well. I am sorry about the genjutsu, but please remember to be careful about it next time. Grow up to be great ninja."

"Hm," Mikael looked away, "My companions are too kind, but don't expect other ninja to be like them. If it were me, I would have stayed to finish the job even if it meant my life."

Ares stuck out his tongue, throwing an arm around Mikael's shoulder and almost throwing Baruna off balance. Laughing and grumbling, the three walked away, with one last, backwards wave from Ares.

Kakashi's smile was deceptively calm, "Maa, what an interesting bunch they are. And efficient too, because they almost succeeded in their goal. I wonder what made them change their mind?"

Edward laughed a little nervously, feeling five sets of eyes boring into him. Quickly, he explained the whole situation from five years ago, about how he, Itachi, and Hikari had saved Ares and his master. Edward felt Kakashi tense a little at Itachi's name, and glance at Sasuke worriedly, and Edward was glad for that. Though Edward knew that Sasuke wouldn't have any adverse reaction to Itachi's name, it was nice to see that Kakashi was worried anyhow.

When Edward had finished, Naruto let out a low, long whistle, "Wow, that's so cool! Two of the Seven Swordsman! Why didn't you ever tell us about it?"

"I didn't think it was relevant to anything we've talked about bef-," Edward paused, feeling something at the edge of his consciousness, but wondering if he should reveal it. He had similarly felt Ares, Baruna, and Mikael approaching, but hadn't mentioned it because he was playing the role of a civilian. He wondered if he should do the same here.

"Edward nii-san…?"

No, that was stupid. It was best to continue being ninja, especially since Gato had probably gotten the impression that they had defeated three jounin-level ninja. It was Edward's mistake to continue trying to pretend being a civilian even after the Demon Brothers attacked. Edward smiled, gazing back behind them, "Looks like our reinforcements have arrived."

No sooner than he had said that, a blundering, green _thing_ came crashing out of the woods, sporting a blinding smile, "Yosh! We have caught up!"

Next came a black haired girl, wearing a Chinese-style outfit and her hair wrapped in two buns on her head. She jumped out of a tree, obviously having been travelling the higher route. Landing with a sigh, she shook her head at the green boy, "Lee, you didn't need to run so fast. Neji said he saw that Team Seven was already waiting for us."

A moment later, two other figures appeared out of the woods. One was a cold, stone faced boy, which Edward recognized as a Hyuuga. Probably, this was the 'Neji' boy the girl was talking about. Beside the regal boy…

"Woah!" Naruto exclaimed, pointing to the two in green leotard, "Thick-brows, and even thicker-brows!"

"HOW DARE YOU INSULT GAI-SENSEI!" The one dubbed 'Lee' screamed, "I will challenge you to a duel! If I lose I will do two thousand pushups!"

Naruto let a feral grin spread across his lips, "You're on!"

Neji snorted, "Huh, a battle between losers."

"You bastard!" Naruto flew towards Neji, only to be held back by Sasuke, "I'll show you!"

"As if you could," Neji said coldly, crossing his arms, "Fate decrees that I shall always triumph over you. You are a simple orphan, and I am a Hyuuga."

"You- you-"

"You are mistaken," Sasuke glared daggers at the Hyuuga, his voice equally as cold, "Naruto could beat you with his hand tied behind his back."

Neji narrowed his eyes, "Uchiha, right? You should be an interesting opponent."

"Yosh! Is this a battle? I want to join in this battle too!"

"You bastard! Don't think I've forgiven you yet for calling me a loser! I'll show you who's a loser!"

"Guys… guys please calm down. We're on a mission here…"

"Maa, I don't know, watching these kids is kind of fun…"

"Kakashi-sensei!"

This was going to be a loooong mission.

"MY ETERNAL RIVAL KAKASHI WITH YOUR HIP ATTITUDE! I CHALLENGE YOU TO A MATCH, AND IF I LOSE I WILL RUN TO WAVE COUNTRY AND BACK FIVE HUNDRED TIMES!"

A _very_ long mission.

* * *

He stabbed at his dumpling, glaring at it like it had killed his mother. Well… perhaps a better analogy would have been more along the lines of it stealing his money. He'd killed Mother himself, after all.

Across from him, his companion looked at him fearfully, which really didn't help with his mood at all. He sneered, disgusted; why did he have to be paired with such a lame partner already? Oh yeah, because he'd killed his two previous ones. He wondered how long this one would last.

Being in charge of the financial sector was not as easy as it seemed, and now that they were running low on money, it was up to him to make it up. Seriously, how did they expect him to magically appear with money? All the good jobs had been taken, and just randomly bumping into someone with a high bounty wasn't going to happen.

Besides, why did they expect _him_ to do it? It was Leader's fault that they spent money just as quickly as he brought it in. Heck, he had brought in 100 million yen just last month; where was that money now?

Yes, he was definitely not in a good mood.

"Man! It was soo cool meeting him again!" The blond seated one table away from him exclaimed loudly, his voice easily heard by all the occupants of the restaurant.

And it just got worse.

He glared at the young boy just a few feet away; one was not supposed to be that loud in a public area! His fingers twitched; he yearned to strangle that insolent youth for disturbing him. He'd killed others for less. But at the same time, he didn't want to make a scene and get kicked out of the restaurant. That would surely drop his mood even further.

Just as he was contemplating whether or not to act, the blond's friend seemed to realize that it might not be best to make a spectacle of themselves.

"Shush, Ares," The black haired boy said forcibly, putting a hand over the blond's mouth. And then, the boy suddenly hissed, pulling back his hand as if he had been bitten. And in fact… he had. "By the Great Villages! What are you, a dog?"

The boy with yellow hair stuck out his tongue, "Who's a dog? But yuck Baruna, your hand tastes nasty."

"That's why you don't go around biting people," The dark haired boy muttered, "You should be happy I washed my hands before eating, otherwise…"

The blond made a face, "Thanks. But seriously, what's wrong with telling the world that I'm happy? I just got to meet my Aniki after all!"

"By the way," The only other occupant at that particular table said lazily, taking the grassweed out of his mouth, "It's not every day that I meet an opponent like that, and I couldn't even fight them because of you. You need to pay me back."

"What for?" The blond complained, "It looked like you were getting beaten pretty badly by the Cyclops, anyway."

The golden haired boy tensed.

The capped one sighed, "Mikeal, don't take it so offensively. And Ares, be fair. We were up against the 'Edge of Death' after all, and 'Copy-nin Kakashi'. To be honest, I didn't expect for us to win. I was counting on me finishing off the client before they…"

He had long stopped listening. As soon as he heard the words 'Edge of Death', and 'Copy-nin Kakashi', his mind had been on overdrive. The names sounded familiar, but where…?

And then, he remembered.

Slowly, a grin spread across his face. Well, well. He didn't expect to find them so coincidently, especially since they were both so well guarded by Konoha. But, they were both quite famous after all, and even if he hadn't memorized their information, he knew about them from the Bingo book.

Here was the solution to his problem.

With a grin that threatened to never go away, he stood up and put down his chopsticks, turning on his heel and strolling out of the establishment. He didn't bother looking back to see if his companion was following him; he was sure that the idiot would be scrambling to pay for their meals.

Sure enough, his assigned partner made it to his side, looking hesitant, "Um… um… not to question you but… are we going somewhere?"

Kakazu positively cackled. He had been hoping the hopeless idiot would ask him, "We, Tanto, are going to earn some money."

* * *

A/n: For those of you who guessed Ares's identity, KUDOS! For those of you who still don't know who the heck Ares is, he showed up briefly in Chapter 5, after the Ed's and Itachi's mission in Grass. And yes, that is WHY I made Ares show up way back then… so he could do this now. Planning is a pain. Ares probably won't show up again… unless you guys want him to? Anyway, now we should be getting to the exciting stuff :)


	22. XI

A/n: Sasuke doesn't know that Kakashi has the Sharingan, since he didn't see Kakashi's fight with Mikeal. Edward's never mentioned it to him (for obvious reasons) and Ares' gang referred to Kakashi as the _Kopī Ninja no Kakashi _(Copy-nin Kakashi) as opposed to his alternative nickname _Sharingan no Kakashi_, which is the reason Sasuke's not bombarding Kakashi with questions.

Chapter 11- Teamwork

_08: 14 Thursday_

Sakura walked down the streets of Wave Country, shivering at the sights that greeted her. People lay on the sides of the streets, pale and wrinkled, skin dangling loosely from their frail bodies. Children lay everywhere, bellies bloated and plump while the rest of their limbs looked like yellow bones. Flies were everywhere, probably due to this blasted humidity, circling the people and feeding off their sick sweat. Tazuna's explanation on Wave's condition hadn't prepared her for the sheer poverty the citizens were experiencing.

"It's sad, isn't it?" Tenten plodded beside Sakura, her voice soft, "Watching this is like… I wish we could do something. Maybe we should have got one of the guys to do this job after all."

Sakura nodded; when she had volunteered to go get groceries with Tenten because she wanted to avoid the 'hard' jobs, she hadn't expected this. Seeing these needy people, and knowing that she couldn't help them, was by far the hardest job. Now, Sakura only wished she were at guard duty, or helping to build the bridge, or whatever.

"It makes me want to castrate that man," Sakura whispered as a feeble-looking boy reached out a thin arm towards her, casting a hopeful look towards the pink haired girl as if she were going to be his savoir. She couldn't help him right now, because she hadn't brought any money, but oh how she wished she could! He looked like a small meal would do him a world of good. Well, when the bridge was built, hopefully the situation in Wave would improve. It made Sakura all the more determined to complete this mission.

Tenten giggled slightly, abet a little evilly, "Yes, I'd like to see that man screaming like a little girl."

"Oh yeah," Sakura's eyes glittered as she remembered the story Edward had told them, "He did once…"

She recounted the entire tale to her new friend, watching Tenten's eyes grow as wide as saucers in joy. When she finished, Tenten let out an impressed sigh, "This Edward… he's that braided blond that we travelled with? He seems to be on good terms with your teammates, though Gai-sensei said that Kakashi is Team Seven's sensei."

"Oh, yeah, Kakashi's our actual sensei. Edward's like, Naruto's and Sasuke-kun's older brother or something. He originally came with us for a vacation, though I think the real reason was that he was worrying. Well, it turned out that it was a good thing he came, anyway. I think we would have failed our mission if Edward wasn't there when we were attacked by the Village of Chaos."

Tenten sighed again, "I wish we hadn't missed that battle. I wanted a chance to prove myself."

Sakura giggled slightly at the choice of words, "You sound just like Naruto."

"Oh no, I hope not. I have nothing against your teammate -he's kinda cute and funny- but he's a loudmouth…"

"Still," Sakura's voice was wistful, but she couldn't help it. She could tell what Tenten was thinking; after all, Sakura had thought the same thing not too long ago, "Naruto has the skills to back it up. When push comes to shove, there's no one I'd rather have at my back."

And Sasuke-kun would be at her side, of course.

Tenten startled, looking surprised, but then that quickly faded into amused understanding, "Yeah, I guess some ninjas can be surprising huh? And strong ones will have their eccentricities. Like Lee, even with all his talk of 'youth' and his ghastly green outfit, he's still a super strong genin. Oh yeah, but the way, I'm sorry for all the proposals he's given you."

Sakura shook her head, laughing, "It's alright. It's more funny than anything else. Naruto's giving me those all the time. Though I admit, there's only one person I actually want to hear a proposal from…"

"Sasuke?" Tenten threw Sakura a teasing grin, "I can see the way you look at him. I must admit, he's a pretty good pick. Good looking, smart, talented… Are you going to get together anytime soon?"

Sakura couldn't help the blush that rose up her cheeks, "Th-th-that is… Well, what about the way you look at Neji?"

"What?" Now it was Tenten's turn to look startled, and Sakura couldn't help but feel pleased.

"Well he is a bit cold," Sakura teased, "And more than a little stuck up, but I'm sure you could pull him out of those tendencies. Besides, his long hair is kind of dreamy."

"And what about your guy?" Tenten mocked right back, a grin on her face, "He's beyond moody, and a little too close with Naruto one might say. Hey, do you think that those two…"

"No! No! No!" Sakura turned pale, turning an aghast look at Tenten, "That's disgusting to think about! My own teammates… ugh, thanks a lot."

Tenten laughed, her voice tinkering like bells, "No problem. Ask me anytime. Though, you have to admit, a situation like that is every yaoi's girl's dream."

"Not mine," Sakura shuddered; no, her Sasuke couldn't be _gay_. Not that she had anything against gay people or anything, but just not her Sasuke! If Naruto was gay, fine, but he had to go be gay with someone else. "Besides, Sasuke can't be gay, he wants to revive his clan."

Tenten's smile slipped off her face, "Oh yeah… clans."

Sakura instantly caught onto Tenten's deteriorating mood, "What's the matter?"

"It's just," Tenten's mouth twisted, "I'm not all that into clan superiority. Having Neji sprout off his stuff about Hyuugas is annoying beyond belief, but I have to be the mediator between him and Lee, so I can't say anything. Besides, it's not like Neji has it easy in his clan… Anyway, I don't come from a clan, so people always underestimate me. I want to prove that a clanless female ninja can truly become one of the best!"

Wow… wait what? Tenten didn't come from a clan? When Tenten had creamed all the boys -including Sasuke and Naruto- at weapons practice the other day, Sakura had assumed… "But then how did you get so strong?"

"Hm?" Tenten blinked, then smiled, "I practice all the time. All day every day. You can't make your dream come true by not doing anything, right?"

Make her… dreams come true? Why did Sakura feel like she wasn't exactly heading towards that direction? Tenten seemed so determined, so confident, that Sakura couldn't help but want to be a part of that. But… Sakura frowned thoughtfully; what exactly, was her dream? To marry Sasuke-kun, to get acknowledged, to become a good ninja? Was she actually doing anything to get these dreams accomplished?

A loud cackled interrupted Sakura's thoughts. Sakura looked up, seeing a red haired, flamboyant woman standing on a roof. She wore an Iwa headband with a scratch through it, a smirk on her face, "Hehehe… kiddies, I'm afraid you won't ever get to realize your dreams."

* * *

_07:47 Thursday_

Sasuke sipped his coffee, and sighed in contentment. He was sitting at the kitchen table, in the bridge builder's house. There wasn't much furniture, but the room had a nice sense of warmness. Naruto and the other guys had left early on, leaving only Sasuke and Kakashi left, guarding Tazuna's family. Mrs. Tsunami had gone upstairs, and the kid was doing who knows what.

Kakashi had placed his elbows on the table (which was really bad manners, Sasuke's inner self protested) and netted his fingers together. He leaned forwards at Sasuke's sip, tucking his chin on top of his netted fingers and smiled creepily, "You drink coffee? Maa, such an adult drink."

"I suppose it's not for you then," Sasuke murmured through his cup, rolling his eyes.

Kakashi blinked, once, twice, before smiling once again with that eye of his. "Maa, maa, was that a retort? That's mean Sasuke-kun."

Sasuke smirked, and put down his mug, "I don't usually drink coffee; Aniki doesn't let us. Ever since he heard that it stunts your growth, he's pretty much banned coffee from our house. But I think it's nice to drink it once in a while."

Aniki really had a problem with being called short. Sasuke had no idea why. If it were someone like Naruto… sure, then Sasuke could understand. The orange-clad idiot _was_ short. But, Sasuke did not remember Aniki ever being anything less than average height.

"Maa, the 'Edge of Death' is scary when that word is said," Kakashi said slightly in abashment.

Wasn't he ever? But… "What do you mean by the title 'Edge of Death'? You've mentioned it earlier, but I hadn't really remembered to ask."

"Ahh… of course. Circumstances then were hardly the time for questions, correct? Well, it's just the jounin title that Mr. Elric has gained. Just like Gai is called the Green Beast of Konoha, your Aniki has become famous for… well, why don't you ask him?"

Sasuke had been listening intensely when Kakashi said that. He blinked, not used to being denied information, but instantly was thankful for it. It was something he should ask Aniki instead; Kakashi was right. Going behind Aniki's back like this was pointless.

Nodding to himself, Sasuke instead changed the topic to another area of interest that had been bothering him. "Alright then. But earlier, when you gave Aniki that warning, what did you mean by it?"

Just before Aniki had left, Kakashi had stopped him, saying words that Sasuke had suspicions about, but wasn't wholly sure of the meaning. Then, Mrs. Tsunami had come before Sasuke could question the one eyed man, offering coffee. Sasuke hadn't refused.

"Ahh," Kakashi eye smiled again, "Recognized it as a warning, did you? Tihehehe, my team is soooo smart…"

Sasuke waited for an answer, and waited. When one wasn't forthcoming from the starry eyed ninja, Sasuke cleared his throat, and glared.

Kakashi instantly came back to the real world. He beamed, "Alright, here's the situation as follows. Do you understand why your Aniki left?"

Sasuke nodded slowly, "He said he had to investigate something."

"That's right, but that's not the whole story. The one he's investigating… is Gato. Konoha is a ninja system which depends on its clients, and Gato is one of the wealthiest men in the world…"

"So it'd be bad for Konoha to get on his bad side," Sasuke realized, "It'll not only make him wary of hiring Konoha in the future, but if we do something to him, then the other wealthy magistrates will be cautious of Konoha as well. It'd be economic suicide."

"Exactly," Kakashi nodded, "So I warned your Aniki about it. But he replied…"

_Edward's eyebrow twitched. He turned away, his voice coming out in a low growl, "Yes, I know. This ninja system… But worry not Hatake-san, I won't be obvious."_

Sasuke relaxed, "That's fine, then."

Kakashi blinked, and suddenly turned serious, "Sasuke, it's good and all that you're trusting of your Aniki, but please do remember that he is just one ninja. This progression of thought was fine when you were younger, but you are part of the Konoha force now, and you can't afford to think childishly like this. The Edge of Death is brilliant, yes, but even he can make mistakes. He isn't infallible."

Sasuke frowned, and sipped at his coffee again. He agreed with Kakashi that with anyone, one couldn't depend on them completely, but the thing was, Aniki wasn't just anyone. Aniki was… different.

Kakashi sighed, seeming to sense what Sasuke was thinking, "Everyone thinks that their situation is different. Sasuke, I am saying this for your own good, because I am your sensei. Don't put such high expectations on your Aniki, because you _will_ be disappointed in the end."

Sasuke didn't agree, and he knew that no amount of cajoling from Kakashi was going to persuade him. Aniki wasn't perfect, Sasuke knew that, or else Aniki wouldn't have been tricked by Danzo. But for things like this… Sasuke knew that if anyone could do it, it would be Aniki. If anyone could investigate something and find the truth, all without being implicated in the process, it would be Aniki. Kakashi didn't understand that.

Sasuke turned away.

"Maa, maa, don't get mad. If you'd rather avoid the problem, _like a child_, I won't bring it up again."

Sasuke's eye twitched, but he didn't respond. Doing so would be falling for Kakashi's bait, and Sasuke was anything but easy prey.

Kakashi sighed, "Maaa, you're no fun. Not like Naruto, anyway."

At that remark, the corners of Sasuke's mouth couldn't help but twitch. Really it couldn't. Naruto just got riled up so easily. Although Sasuke had to admit that some of Kakashi's antics were extremely annoying (he had to keep telling himself that it simply wasn't possible to strangle their sense) it was almost worth it to see Naruto's reactions. Almost.

"So… read any good books lately?"

Sasuke glanced back at his 'sensei', giving him Look #34. The one that said 'You are _so_ lame', in the fewest words possible.

Kakashi grinned, and for some reason Sasuke shuddered. "No? Well I have to say, I've read a pretty good book recently. Shall I read you an excerpt?"

For some reason, Sasuke got a sinking feeling in his gut. He had a sense that if he didn't reply, it would be him who would be at the butt of the joke here. So, he returned Kakashi's proposition with a calm tilt of his head, "I doubt that anything you have will be of an interest to me."

"Oh I'm not so sure about that," Kakashi was smiling evilly. How Sasuke knew that through a mask, he wasn't sure, but he was positive Kakashi was smiling evilly. "I think every hormonal boy needs what I have to offer. Even if you have… ah… _special_ needs."

Sasuke's eyes grew as wide as saucers. He froze.

And then, Kakashi frowned, his brows furrowing, "Hm… that didn't exactly come out the way I intended it to."

Sasuke breathed a sigh of relief.

"What I meant was," Kakashi started again, "I can give you access to certain resources that your Aniki might forbid because he is an old prude. Just like coffee, once you get a taste, you're—"

Suddenly, Kakashi stopped talking. His head snapped to the right, eyes narrowed. Sasuke immediately followed Kakashi's gaze, to the window and what was outside it, searching for anything that might be suspicious. He didn't know what had tripped the jounin's senses, but it had to be important. Perhaps the missing nin had finally started attacking?

"Well," Kakashi said softly, before quickly turning back to Sasuke with an eye-smile, "Do you mind taking care of Tazuna's cute little family by yourself, Sasuke? It looks like I might have some business to take care of."

"What are you wasting time here for, then?" Sasuke asked harshly.

"Tihehe," Kakashi giggled, getting up in one fluid motion, "ittle Sasuke is trying so hard to play big ninja."

And before Sasuke had the chance to reply, Kakashi was gone.

Sasuke blinked; he hadn't even been able to follow Kakashi's movements. However silly Kakashi might act, Sasuke had to remember that he was a first rate ninja, even Aniki had said so. The things that he taught his students were no joke either; Copy-nin Kakashi was not someone to take lightly.

A part of him really wanted to go with Kakashi —he was itching for some action— but he also knew just how outmatched he was. Even with the Sharingan, he could not defeat a low class jounin who specialized in _genjutsu_. And this time, he didn't have Naruto with him.

Besides, like Kakashi had warned him, he needed to guard the bridge builder's family. It was his mission. He wasn't quite as rash as Naruto, so he wasn't going to rush into the fight, though even he admitted he had his moments. Sasuke was not oblivious to his own flaws— every ninja should know their shortcomings, after all. Aniki had told them it was the only way to improve.

And so, Sasuke waited. He didn't have to wait long.

Soon, very soon, the front door was kicked open.

Wait… that wasn't right.

Sasuke stood up, a kunai already in hand. If it were Kakashi, the jounin wouldn't have bothered to come through the front door. Or if he did, it would be in a dignified and idiotic way. This was…

"Kakashi-sempai! Elric-san!" Rock Lee shouted at the top of his lungs, the broken door lying in pieces at his feet, "Help!"

Sasuke walked over in quick, short steps, stopping right in front of the other genin, "Neither Kakashi or Aniki are here right now. What happened?"

"They're not here?" Wide, panicked black eyes met Sasuke's, and Lee wailed, "Nooo! I must find them!"

Sasuke got a horrible, sinking feeling in his gut. Had something happened to Naruto? He knew he shouldn't have let them be split up, he knew it! Sasuke turned towards the direction of the bridge and took off; like hell he was going to do nothing while one of the last members of his family was endangered.

Screw protecting Tazuna's family; it wasn't like that was part of their mission, anyway. If something happened to Naruto… if something happened to Naruto…! Besides, he felt another chakra signature racing towards them— toward where the Tazuna house was. Surely that meant Kakashi had come back from his 'business' and now was going to guard Tsunami-san and Inari?

"I… I failed Gai-sensei," Lee sniffed from beside Sasuke's ear, somehow keeping up with his speed as he ran alongside him. Sasuke wasn't quite sure when Lee had started following him, but then he didn't really care. "He specifically sent me here to find Kakashi-sempai or Elric-san. I can't fail him! If… if I can't find them, I'll do a hundred laps when I get back to Konoha. No, a thousand!"

Sasuke stopped mid-step, almost stumbling. Confused, Lee stopped running too. Sasuke's mind blanked as he tried to process what Lee had said and what it meant, and then Sasuke sagged in relief; oh good, so no one was in dire need of help, it was simply the Lee-Gai syndrome at its work. It was a good thing they hadn't gotten too far from the Tazuna house.

"Oh? So you guys are Konoha ninja?"

Sasuke tensed again.

"Yosh!" Lee's voice had turned from pathetic to energized in a second, "And who are _you_?"

"That is a shame," The new voice continued as if he hadn't heard Lee, "I really didn't want to fight Konoha ninja."

Slowly, ever so slowly, Sasuke turned towards the direction he had felt the chakra signature. No, it wasn't Kakashi, like Sasuke had assumed. Whatever Kakashi was doing, it was consuming his complete attention, and Sasuke shouldn't have depended on the famous ninja to be finished so quickly.

There, sitting on a tree branch almost directly above them, was a Grass ninja with a scratch across his forehead protector.

* * *

_08:14 Thursday_

Naruto huffed, crossing his arms and glaring at the boy across from him. Neji stared back with blank eyes, but still managed a condescending look anyway.

"Yosh! This is great weather! I shall do a thousand pushups after I am done helping Tazuna move the wood!"

At the loud exclamation, Naruto turned his attention back to the other genin that was with him. Lee. Lee was moving building tools at lightning speed, chatting happily with Naruto's clones as he worked. The last member of the hastily made team, Gai, was chatting amiably with Tazuna. Or rather, Gai was yelling about 'youthful' things and destroying Tazuna's eardrums. Honestly, the green clad jounin was even louder than Naruto was.

They had all drawn lots to see who would guard Tazuna first, and it was Gai with Naruto, Lee, and Neji. This didn't really make sense to Naruto, who personally thought that Sasuke should be with him. After all, Kakashi had even said that once they worked together they could bring down a jounin. They would have won the exchange with Baruna if they had more experience, and simply had taken him out as soon as they captured him, instead of giving him time to escape. They wouldn't make the same mistake again.

But then Kakashi had said something about them being able to work with new people, how it was a skill that should be learned early on etc etc. Even Edward nii-san had grumblingly agreed. And Edward nii-san's word was law.

So now here Naruto was, stuck with Neji because Lee wanted to help build the bridge.

"You don't need to be on watchout with me," Neji said in that disdainful way of his, seeming to sense Naruto's train of thought, "My Bakugan covers everything within a 50 kilometer radius."

"Well I don't know how much a 50 kilometer radius is," Naruto replied snippily, even though he did. But hey, he just wanted to annoy the Hyuuga. Neji was a cold fish, and not likeable in the way Sasuke was either. "Besides, if I join my shadow clones we'd all have a hard time manoeuvring. Six is the perfect number for this job, no more no less. Surely you've thought of that?"

Ha! Now that Naruto thought about it, what he had just said was beyond cool. It was like something Edward nii-san would have said.

Neji wasn't nearly as impressed. The black haired boy simply turned away, shrugging his shoulders, "Fine."

Grr... the nerve of that guy! Naruto opened his mouth to retaliate, when suddenly Neji tensed. He whipped his head around to Gai, but the green clad man had already seemed to sense it.

"Guard Tazuna," Gai ordered, all the 'youthfulness' gone from his voice, "This one seems... dangerous. Lee, you're the fastest, go find Kakashi and Edward Elric."

Lee nodded, dropping his plank and sprinting off towards the direction of Tazuna's house. Naruto dispelled four of his shadow clones, allowing the smoke to fill the area as the two remaining shadow clones hid. Hey, you never knew what might happen. Neji shot him a slightly surprised look, but then nodded in acknowledgement, having seen Naruto's move through his bloodline limit.

Mist rolled across the bridge, covering everything in a film of white. Naruto and Neji jumped from their lookout spots to stand beside Tazuna, bodies in their respective fighting positions. Naruto was in a semi crouch, right hand halfway to his weapons pouch. It was a stance ready for anything, ready to shift into anything. Neji on the other hand was standing with one foot a meter behind the other, arms bent and palms spread. If Naruto remembered correctly from all the reports he had read, it was the special fighting technique of the Hyuugas.

"Eight choices," A whispery, deathly voice suddenly seemed to surround them, followed by a blast of killer intent, "Liver, lungs, spine, clavicle vein, neck vein, brain, kidneys, heart. Which one should I go after?"

Naruto couldn't help it, he let out a loud laugh. The killer intent seemed to falter for a moment, and even Gai looked at the blond questioningly.

"I- I'm sorry," Naruto wiped away some tears of laughter, "It's just that- there's so many more ways to kill someone! The solarplex for example, if one hits it hard enough your victim will die! Also, your 'eight choices' aren't exactly very specific. I mean, any idiot could think up of those. At least sound a bit researched; say something like jugular instead of neck vein. Hehe... you're a pretty funny assassin."

There was a pregnant pause.

"Neji?" Gai finally asked.

"I can see. There is one man with a large sword 40 degrees from where I'm standing. He has a scratched Hidden Mist headband, with long bandages covering the lower part of his face. There is another Hidden Mist nin hiding under the bridge, looks to be my age. That one is probably assigned for the real assassination attempt while this one is distracting us."

Pft, show-off.

"Hm... really?" Gai murmured thoughtfully, "I didn't sense the one under the bridge at all."

Ack, what the heck! Neji was getting all the credit. This wasn't cool, this wasn't cool at all. Naruto narrowed his eyes at the black haired boy; well, he'd show him! Getting out of his fighting stance (which was ruined by his laughter anyway), Naruto put his hands together to form rapid seals, "Wind Release: Scatter!"

A torrent of wind exploded out of nowhere, blowing away the mist that had so obscenely covered the bridge. Gai's head whipped towards the blond, eyebrows raised in surprise. Naruto ended his jutsu, pleased. It was an A-rank technique which he'd learned to counter Edward nii-san's mist tricks, and now it was really coming in handy.

The clear sky revealed their opponents, who stood near the other side of the bridge. One was indeed as Neji described, except that Hyuuga forgot to mention how hulking ripped the guy looked. Scary. Just then, another ninja jumped up from underneath the bridge, landing gracefully beside the first one. He really was short.

"Well." The ninja with the big sword eyed the hastily made team speculatively, "Don't we have some impressive genin..."

"Yosh!" Gai exclaimed, recovering quickly. He gave the ninja his signature grin and thumbs up, "They are some of the best of their year!"

"Are they really?" The enemy ninja asked, putting his hands together in a seal, "Ya know, I'd planned to do this quickly before the others got here, so I could take the prize for myself, but this is quite interesting. I think... I'd rather test out these genin for myself."

Suddenly, five identical ninja appeared out of nowhere, surrounding the three Leaf ninja with malicious grins. Water clones. Gai bent down low, peering at one closely, then stood up again, nodding. "Yosh, I see now. You're the Demon of the Mist, Zabuza Momochi. Alright Neji, you can take care of the clones now."

Neji nodded, and then he _moved_. Not quite as fast as Naruto, and certainly no match for Sasuke, but it was more than enough for the five enemy ninjas. Neji danced among the clones, turning each and every one back into their base element with quick palm strikes.

Zabuza blinked, seemingly impressed, "Hm... he saw through the water clones too. Looks like a rival has appeared... eh Haku? Looks like I've underestimated Leaf nin. Aw well, you can still take care of him, right?"

"Indeed it does," The masked boy replied, and before Naruto knew it, he had moved. The masked boy flew towards Neji, releasing a scattering of senbons. Neji moved his hands in a circular pattern, knocking back the senbons without leaving himself open to the masked helper. Even Naruto had to admit that he was a _little_ impressed by those movements.

"Now," Zabuza lifted his sword, tip pointed towards Gai's chest, "I'd like to experience the Green Beast of Konoha's strength."

As they talked, Neji and the masked boy fought on. The masked boy was faster, but Neji's fist techniques revealed no opening and his Bakugan saw everything around him, giving him a faster reaction speed.

Gai grinned, and got into a standard taijutsu stance, "Hehe... so you've heard of me? Yosh! Naruto, guard Tazuna-san."

Before he had even finished his sentence, the two jounin had already moved. They moved almost too quickly for Naruto to catch, but he could still see them flashing as they exchanged punches and slashes. Unlike their students, Gai was the one who seemed to be faster, but Zabuza's range with his broadsword made it hard for the green clad jounin to close in.

"This is so unfair," Naruto called out, knowing that he was whining but he thought it was rather justified this time, "I won't get to do anything!"

It was true. While Neji got to fight some missing nin lacky (whom Naruto could have defeated easily if he wanted to) and Gai got to take on the big shot himself, Naruto was stuck standing beside an old man with an alcohol problem. Heck, he wasn't even guarding! Anyone who he would have guarded against were fighting with someone else!

Sure, he was supposedly the last line of defence in case the masked boy or Zabuza slipped past Neji or Gai, but he knew realistically that his two ally ninja were unlikely to let that happen. Gai was apparently on the same level as Kakashi-sensei, and Kakashi-sensei was plenty cool. Neji, even if Naruto hated to admit it, was good at what he did. Good enough to be chuunin, maybe.

So in reality, Naruto probably wouldn't get to fight at all.

And then, the masked boy did something strange.

"That is enough," The masked boy said, his voice eerily calm even as he dodged Neji's palms left and right, "We must complete our mission. Demonic Ice Mirrors!"

As soon as he finished the sentence, the air around him seemed to grow colder, bits of frost visible in the air. Suddenly, ten ice plates sprang up around the two fighting children, shielding them from Naruto's view.

Zabuza smiled, cackling madly as he flipped to avoid one of Gai's kicks, "Looks like he finally activated it... his bloodline limit. Your genin will stand no chance now."

Gai didn't even tense, and simply continued pressing on his attack. Naruto was surprised that Zabuza could still talk so normally even when fighting such an intense battle.

"What?" Zabuza sounded surprised, "You don't care about your genin? Hm... not what I expected from Leaf ninja, certainly. Or perhaps... you feel like you can't afford to divert your attention from me?"

Gai shook his head as Zabuza swung his sword towards him, "It's not that. This is one of the most beautiful battles, certainly, but I did not answer because there was no need to. I trust Neji."

"Oh really?" Zabuza sneered, "Well he is dying right about now."

"So you think. He-"

"_Listen_," Zabuza hissed as he swung his sword again, "Does it sound like your prodigy is putting up a good fight?"

They stopped talking, and with their voices gone Naruto was able to hear what was happening beyond the ice blocks more clearly. Sure, he'd been keeping half an ear with Neji during Zabuza's and Gai's exchange, but he had to admit his attention got diverted. What the two jounin were saying and doing had promised to be interesting, after all, and Naruto had unconsciously shifted his attention to them.

But from what Naruto _had_ seen and heard, it looked like... Neji was losing.

The large bluish white rectangles that surrounded Neji kept Naruto from getting a perfect view of him, but Naruto still had a pretty good grasp of the situation from looking through the spaces in between the rectangles. Senbons seemed to be flying out of the ice mirrors, and Neji could not dodge them all. Eventually, he was going to get too tired, or too dizzy from blood loss- whatever. Either way, Neji was on his way to losing.

Gai seemed to notice it too, for suddenly he tensed and was almost sliced open by Zabuza's broadsword.

"Ah," Zabuza lamented as Gai hurriedly jumped away, the sword serving a bit of Gai's sleeve, "That's why I hate going against genin teams. It weakens the jounins, makes them distracted, and makes them too easy to kill."

Gai didn't pay the bandaged man any attention. He continued jumping, but this time towards Neji. Zabuza however, seemed to have other ideas.

"Hey, your opponent is me." Zabuza grinned, flashing in front of Gai and preventing him from continuing on, "Against that technique, he's finished. If you get by me, I'll kill those two."

"Ugh... Naruto! Are you really as good as Kakashi said you were?"

Huh...? Was it...? Naruto grinned, "Even better!"

Gai turned, giving him a thumbs up, "Good, then go help Neji! I'll take care of this unyouthful fellow!"

Naruto didn't need to be told twice. He had already been thinking of a way to defeat those ice mirrors, which seemed to give the masked boy more speed. He saluted towards Gai, "Yatta! I'm on it Thickbrows-sensei!"

Grinning, he jammed his fingers together in the familiar cross seal, and poof, two shadow clones were made. They stood guard beside Tazuna protectively, while Naruto raced towards the ice blocks that held Neji captive. Experimentally, Naruto slid out a kunai, and flicked it towards the ice blocks.

Just before the kunai hit, a figure leaped out of one of the ice blocks, catching the kunai before it could make contact. It was the masked boy. The masked boy didn't give Naruto any time to stare though, because a second later the masked boy was gone, melted back into the large bluish white rectangles.

Naruto let out a breath; cool. But, now wasn't the time to be thinking about that. He ran around the circle of ice, throwing out almost every piece of weaponry he had. Each and every time, Naruto's kunai were caught or deflected, but Naruto hadn't really been trying to hit the boy.

Naruto grinned, and stopped running. During the whole duration where the masked boy had been catching Naruto's kunais, the attacks on Neji still hadn't let up. The speed didn't slip for a fraction of a second, nor did the accuracy. This masked boy really had skills. However...

Naruto took out a batch of five kunai, one between each of his fingers so it looked like he had suddenly grown claws. Then, when the masked boy flashed by to throw another bunch of senbons at Neji, Naruto released his kunai.

The masked boy hopped out of his mirrors as always to catch them, but this time something was different. In the shadow of the first kunai was another, followed by three other kunais. The masked boy caught the first and the second, but had to jump away to avoid the last three. It was just what Naruto wanted.

He grinned, and finished the last seal to his jutsu, "Fire Release: Burning Bridges!"

A jet of molten fire shot out from in front of his hands, heading straight towards the masked boy. The five kunai that Naruto had thrown earlier had forced the masked boy to jump away from his ice mirrors ever so slightly, so the masked boy didn't have enough time to jump back into them in able to avoid the fire jutsu.

The masked boy twirled, a bit of water rising from the ground to block the incoming fire. The ice mirrors nearest to him also flew forward to intercept the fire, drawn towards the masked boy like metal to a magnet. The fire jutsu hit the ice mirrors head on, and steam erupted from the collision, covering the whole area in a temporary fog of water.

Naruto jumped forward, another kunai already in his hands. His nostrils flared, trying to smell the masked boy even if Naruto couldn't see him. He knew Neji must have escaped the rest of the mirrors by now and-

The steam cleared, and Naruto saw his reflection everywhere. And not just his reflection either, but also Neji's. Somehow, Naruto was now trapped within the ice mirrors just like Neji was. The blond's mouth dropped open. How?

And then, he noticed that something was different about these ice mirrors. Instead of surrounding the two genin circularly, it was more of an oval shape. Somehow, the masked boy had extended his Demonic Ice Mirrors to include Naruto.

"Hey!" Naruto whined, "That's cheating!"

"You're such an idiot," Neji hissed, looking worse for wear. His clothes were ripped in various places, but at least none of the senbon had hit him. Or if they had, he had managed to pull them out of his body when Naruto was distracting the masked boy.

Naruto stuck out his tongue at the Hyuuga just as the masked boy reappeared again inside his mirrors. Naruto noticed that the edge of his sleeve was burnt, and that his hand looked black. So his fire jutsu hadn't been a complete waste then.

Neji huffed, then turned his attention back onto the masked boy, "I don't have time for this. I need to defeat this guy."

Naruto thought about arguing, then decided against. It was so much better to appear cooler. He grinned, "You don't need to worry about that, he's not very hard to defeat. His speed? It's good, but not as good as mine."

"Is that so?" The masked boy asked coldly, "Then you were hiding your real speed all this time? When you were outside?"

Naruto nodded, feeling proud of himself, "Yeah, I just wanted to get a good gauge on your speed. Good enough to beat a chuunin, but not good enough to beat someone trained by Edward nii-san!"

"Let me test your speed then." Before the masked boy even finished speaking, he had moved. His image flashed across the mirrors, but Naruto could see him jumping. The senbons he threw seemed to be coming at a slow rate as well. With a grin, Naruto twirled, avoiding each and every senbon, before throwing a kunai of his own towards Zabuza's helper.

It cut a thin line across the masked boy's arm, staining his sleeve with red. The masked boy stopped moving, and even Neji glanced back at Naruto, stunned.

"You really are fast," The masked boy murmured, "Like this, I cannot defeat you."

"So are you surrendering?" Naruto asked.

The masked boy slowly shook his head, looking as if he were an old man trying to reach out to his upstart pupils, though he really couldn't have been much older than Naruto. "You... you are not the only one who has been hiding his real speed."

"Eh...?" Then, Naruto got the implications. He shook his head; no... no way! "I don't believe you. If you're actually faster than this, why'd you let yourself get injured?"

"I hadn't planned on going all out on you," The masked boy said softly, a wistful tone in his voice, "But your skills are too high. If I'm not serious, I'm afraid I won't be of any help to Zabuza-sama. I have not been honest with you; this is not my real speed—I was planning to save my real speed to surprise the jounins, but it looks like I'll need it now. And I will also be aiming for fatal places now. Prepare yourselves."

And then, the masked boy _moved_.

* * *

_08:08 Thursday_

Edward had been investigating Gato's network when it happened. He felt two chakra signatures, lower jounin level, rapidly closing in on him. Edward tensed, looking at the crowd of people around him. He had been expecting it, but this was really not convenient timing. He was too far away from either Tazuna's house or the bridge to get there before the two ninja engaged him, and his summons weren't exactly ideal for transporting a message. The best he could do was get to a deserted ground quickly, so that no civilians were caught in the crossfire.

Drawing in a small breath, Edward shot towards the closest place where he had seen a forest clearing, hoping that he'd make it in time. He'd take out the threat there, and maybe then they wouldn't have to worry about more incoming ninja. He was confident that he could do it.

He landed in the clearing just as the two chakra signatures reached him, and a second later he heard two quiet thuds as two other ninja jumped from their tree branches. Edward turned towards the enemy ninja, studying them with a critical eye as they did the same for him.

One of them had a really odd hood on that covered most of his face, and the scratched forehead protector of Waterfall Village. The other was from Iwa and had brown hair streaked with red, as well as a long sword strapped to his belt. The most distinguishing thing however…

"What's up with those cloaks?" Edward asked before he could rethink his statement. Really, those cloaks were weird. Some sort of fashion statement? Secret organization?

The masked one smiled (or at least Edward thought he did) and patted down the long black cloak, "That's irrelevant. What's relevant is this question: are you the 'Edge of Death' Elric?"

"What if I'm not?" Edward asked warily.

"Eh? You're not?" The masked one said in surprise, then turned to his companion with narrowed eyes, "You didn't get it wrong, did you? I don't want to waste my time with small fry."

The Iwa nin seemed to gulp, "H-he is the 'Edge of Death', I'm sure of it."

Edward narrowed his eyes; so the brown haired one was a chakra sensor. That explained how he was found and followed so easily.

"Eh?" the Waterfall ninja turned back to Edward with a frown, "So you wanted to trick us, did you? I can understand why, but that's not going to help you. Well, well, whatever. Even if you _aren't_ the 'Edge of Death', with the way you avoided us, I'd say that you were someone famous anyway. I'm sure your head will be worth _something_ at least."

What the heck? Edward sighed, and reached into his pockets for his gloves, "Let's get this over with quickly."

"Yes," The masked one smiled, "Quickly."

And with that, he disappeared.

Or so it would seem to a civilian.

Edward smiled grimly, slipping the gloves onto his hands. He wasn't exceptionally fast, but his eyes had been training to catch quick movements, and his chakra sensing abilities weren't exactly useless either. Silently, he counted to five, and shifted his body towards the left, aiming his fist at—

The masked man jumped out of the way at the last second, having appeared at Edward's side and disappearing just as quickly. The punch hit the floor, making spidery cracks on the ground. Just then, a flash of metal appeared above him, and Edward had to use the hand that was on the floor to propel himself away from the area

The Iwa nin landed where Edward had just been previously, his sword sticking all the way into the ground. Strings of cackling blue light jumped from the sword, and in an instant the ground around the Iwa nin was illuminated. Edward's eyes widened, and he leapt, just as the radius around the missing nin lit with electric discharge.

And then, Edward felt a chakra signature appear behind him, and knew that it was the masked man. The blond however, had not been idle. Throughout the whole time he was dodging the Iwa nin's attacks, Edward had been making handseals. Angling his shoulder downwards so that he could turn in the air, Edward spun around mid-air to face the Waterfall ninja just as the masked man descended on him, kunai held high. Edward took a deep breath, and blew, "Wind Release: Great Breakthrough."

A plume of wind erupted from Edward's mouth, knocking the masked man into the trees. Edward was also knocked back, due to the recoil he experienced while in air. However, he had been expecting that. Flying just as fast as the Waterfall ninja, Edward spun his body around, taking out a kunai as he did so.

The Iwa nin's eyes widened as he realized the Konoha ninja was on a collision course for him. He took out his sword, but that was all he had time for. Edward's kunai hit the side of the Iwa nin's blade with all the force of the jutsu and the weight of his body, making the Iwa stagger backwards a little. Using the Iwa nin's weight, Edward used his kunai as an anchor and flipped backwards, landing upright in front of the Iwa nin. He readied his kunai to attack again when suddenly—

Edward's heart froze. Just then, Edward felt three other chakra signatures enter the perimeters of his senses, and he knew that he'd been fooled. He swore, letting out a string of curses that he had learned from the military all those years ago. Turning, he jumped towards the direction of the bridge. Screw the black cloak duo, Edward had to get to the others!

Before he could make it five step though, a large fireball lit up the skies, forcing him to jump back to avoid being roasted.

"Nah-uh, uh," the masked man's annoying voice cut through, as he landed gracefully in front of Edward, "No escaping now that we've got you."

Edward tensed, his eyes narrowing, "You're keeping me here on purpose. Why? Are you trying to split us up?"

The masked man looked genuinely surprised, "What? No, we're not 'keeping you here' or whatever. We just want your bounty money, man."

…seriously? Still, those other chakra signatures that had come into Wave Country were no joke, and especially since the directions they were heading in were… Edward growled, lifting his kunai to his face in a backhanded grip, "You couldn't have picked a worse time. You'll soon be regretting that it was today you met Edward Elric."

"Oh," the masked man's eyes lit up, "So you are Edge of Death Elric after all. Good, good. I thought so after I saw you use that little Senju brat's special 'strength'. Yo Tanto, looks like you got the right person."

From behind, Tanto let out a palpable sigh of relief.

Edward's mind was frozen on one word that the masked man had said. He knew he shouldn't be so curious, especially at a time like this, but his over-analytical mind just wouldn't let it go. "Hey… what did you mean when you called Tsunade-sensei 'little brat'?"

"Exactly what I meant," the masked man sneered, "She is a little brat to me. I have fought her grandfather after all. To me, your precious 'Legendary Three Ninja' are no more than little genin."

And then, he did something that nearly made Edward's heart stop. The masked man slipped off his cloak. Edward staggered, taking a step back in spite of himself. He shook, staring at the masked man with wide golden eyes. This…

Their chakra signatures…!

Their chakra signatures were exponentially higher than Edward had first assumed. It was as if those cloaks they wore allowed them to hide the intensity of their chakra, and where Edward had thought they were only low level jounin, in reality they were near kage level!

He couldn't…

"Ah, that feels so much better," the masked man said, stretching out his limbs. The red and black cloak lay beside him. Then, he turned to Edward with a grin, dull green eyes sparkling maliciously, "You're wrong if you think I'm scared of your little title 'Edge of Death'. You… are about to meet the stuff of nightmares. Remember this name as you die. Kakazu of the Akatsuki."

And then, he disappeared. For real this time.

Edward hardly saw him coming. In an instant later the masked man had appeared at his side, delivering a powerful kick to the medic nin's gut. Edward flew backwards, breaking three trees with his body before he finally came to a stop. As he hit the last tree, Edward's body slid down, but he didn't allow himself a moment's of reprieve. Immediately, Edward rolled to the right, and just in time too. 'Tanto' had struck his sword in where Edward had been just previously.

Tanto followed up with his strikes, forcing Edward to constantly dodge. He couldn't even use the special taijutsu he had gotten his nickname from, because Tanto used a sword. Just then, Tanto's ear seemed to perk, and he jumped out of the way. With a horrid suspicion, Edward leapt away too. Just in time. Or perhaps, not quite in time.

A huge whirlwind shredded the area where he and Tanto had been fighting, and Edward had leapt away just a split second too late. He was blown away, landing heavily on the ground with a bleeding arm, having been caught ever so slightly in the jutsu that the masked man had obviously cast. Quickly, he augmented the air surrounding him with his chakra, bringing up a heavy mist. It was very chakra-consuming, especially since there were not a lot of water sources here, but Edward couldn't afford to be conservative. Not now.

Edward gritted his teeth and pushed himself off the ground, arm bleeding sluggishly. He had underestimated them, underestimated them severely. He hadn't thought that Gato would be able to hire any first rate ninja, and Edward had been sure that he could take anything Gato threw at him. Oh how wrong he was. These two's power levels were insane, and together…! Edward had overestimated himself, and he was paying the price for it.

He quickly formed a seal, healing his arm and muting his chakra signature as he did so. He knew that it wouldn't fool Tanto, but hopefully it would buy him some time with Kakazu. Edward's eyes lidded slightly, and he concentrated.

Then, his eyes widened.

This was…!

And then, Edward had to spin around with a kunai in his hand to block Tanto's incoming sword. A moment later, a large gust of wind blew through the woods, clearing it of mist. It didn't matter though. Edward had bought the time that he needed, and…

Tanto's eyes suddenly widened, and he opened his mouth to warn Kakazu, but he was already too late. A huge fireball was hurled towards them, courtesy of Tanto's partner. Tanto made to move away, but Edward wouldn't let him. The blond had grabbed hold of his wrist, grinning as the Iwa nin turned to look at him with wide, hateful eyes. Fire engulfed them.

When the fire died away, Tanto stood there, panting. Electricity crackled around him, showing the world exactly how he had escaped being roasted. He had formed an electric barrier around himself at the last moment, attesting to how great a master he was in his element as he managed to shield himself from an A-ranked fire jutsu with it. Edward on the other hand…

Edward's form fell, looking thoroughly burnt, before the image melted away and the log was revealed. With a clunk, the log landed on the ground, though it was so badly burnt that it could hardly be called a log anymore.

A few meters away, almost within the maze of trees, Edward stood, completely unharmed. Tanto looked over, glowering. Edward smiled back, even though he felt like anything but smiling at that moment. The blond brushed off his cloak, as if completely unconcerned with what the two missing nins thought. He knew that disregard was the easiest way to make people angry, and fighting angry people would make this exchange much faster, even if...

"Maa, depending on me to Replace you was cutting it a bit close, don't you think?"

Edward allowed a grim smirk to spread across his features, turning towards the newcomer who was leaning lazily against a tree trunk, "You're late, Hatake."


	23. XII

A/n: Hmmm, because Wave Arc is taking so long, I've decided not to go as extensively into Chuunin Exams as it could be done. As a wonderful reviewer suggested, I think I'll be doing the fights from an outsider's POV, where they then can be very, very impressed. That sits well with everyone, right? Thank you for your input on that section!

Chapter 12- Now or Never

"Who are you?" It was obvious who he was, but Sasuke wanted to stall for time. His confidence had taken a blow during the battle with Baruna, and he wasn't sure if he could take the new enemy on, assuming that Gato would have sent people who were more powerful than his previous employees.

The Grass nin smiled wryly, a note of sarcastic amusement in his eyes, "I think you already know. Then again, genin these days aren't as remarkable as they used to be. Well, you two are Konoha ninja are you not? Konoha produces some scary kids."

That sentence brought something to Sasuke's mind. A story about Grass Country and Aniki's first mission. "You—you were there when the Daimyo was exposed, weren't you? You knew Aniki and Itachi-niichan!"

"Eh? Aniki? Well, Itachi is a name I do recognize, and I'll assume that by 'Aniki' you mean Elric-san?" He peered closely at Sasuke, "Funny, you don't look anything like him."

"We're not blood related," Sasuke replied stiffly.

"Oh, I see." The Grass nin nodded thoughtfully, and then a thought seemed to strike him. His eyes lit, "Hey, aren't you—oh, never mind. It would be careless of me to bring that up."

Sasuke's eyes narrowed, "Bring what up?"

The Grass nin waved a hand, "Never mind, never mind. Anyhow, I didn't know it would be genin who were here. See, I am a chakra sensor, but I'm not sensitive enough to distinguish between power levels, unlike some. I wouldn't have sent my companions to the other places if I knew they were full of genin. Well, considering the genin team formation, I'm guessing that there's three genin teams here?"

Sasuke's mind was rapidly processing this information. This guy was the sensor? Just like him and Aniki. Actually, considering what the Grass nin said, probably more like Sasuke than Aniki. He wasn't very advanced yet at chakra sensing. Sasuke opened his mouth to ask more questions—And then something the Grass nin said struck him as odd. "Wait, what do you mean, three teams?"

"Yosh!" Lee exclaimed, bobbing his head up and down agreeably and joining in the talk. Sasuke startled slightly; while he had not forgotten that Lee was there, he had seen the perpetually confused expression on the green clad boy and had assumed that Lee wouldn't be joining in this conversation. Now, this whole thing could get a lot more troublesome. "We only have two teams here! Gai-sensei's fantastic team, and Kakashi-sempai's team. There's also El—"

"So why do you think we have three teams?" Sasuke interrupted quickly, not really wanting the Grass nin to know that Edward Elric was here. It might make the Grass nin leave, like it did with the Village of Chaos, but Sasuke doubted it. This situation was different, and he was unwilling to part with the element of surprise. Revealed at the right moment, Aniki's name might provide a much needed reaction.

A look of confusion had settled on the Grass nin's face, "You don't have three teams here? That's odd, I only brought in three other people and myself, but in Wave Country there's currently fifteen noticeable chakra signatures. Two of them just arrived, from that direction. They met up with another two."

He pointed, and Sasuke felt his heart sink. It was the direction in which Kakashi had ran off to. He had no doubt that Aniki was there too. Sasuke wasn't stupid; he knew that Aniki and Kakashi were more powerful than the usual. He also knew that Aniki's sensing abilities had already told him about every single person that had arrived, and that if Aniki hadn't rushed to his rescue right now, it meant Aniki was currently engaged. Sasuke's mouth was dry, "So those two weren't hired by Gato, then?"

If they weren't hired by Gato, but had deliberately came, than that meant that they knew that Kakashi and Aniki were here somehow (because there was no way that Sasuke was going to believe that they had the bad luck of just bumping into them randomly, and immediately starting a fight), but had come nonetheless. They had to be supremely confident in themselves.

The Grass nin shook his head, "No. And are you going to admit who the last member of your party is? I have noticed that you're trying to keep it from me."

"Oh!" Lee exclaimed, turning to Sasuke with shiny eyes, "Are you engaging in espionage, Uchiha-san? Amazing!"

Sasuke tried to ignore Lee. "Does it really matter? It looks like they're engaged now, anyhow."

"I suppose it does not matter. Alright, you look like a smart kid, so I will tell you the situation as follows. I sent one of my companions towards the marketplace—" Sasuke's heart sunk as he pointed towards Sakura's and Tenten's location. The girls would definitely not be able to handle a jounin! "—and I'm sorry to say that she is an insane one, so she might not leave them be just because they are genin. Actually, I normally wouldn't leave you two be either, but since our country owes Konoha something, I dislike killing ninja from there. The other two people who Gato hired aren't under my command, so they did just as they liked. But I'll tell you this, they are 'Demon of the Mist' Zabuza and a hunter-nin who travels with him, so I assure you that they are deadly. They headed for the bridge to kill our main target."

Sasuke sucked in a deep breath, his brain failing. So Naruto was—Naruto was in trouble! He had read about the Demon of the Mist in the bingo book, and the man was known for his power and ruthlessness. He swallowed, "Wh—why are you telling us this?"

"I am hoping that if I tell you the situation, you won't do something foolish like try to fight me. It would just waste both our times. Like I said, I rather like Konoha ninja, so I wish to stop my companions from killing your teammates, if I could."

"Is that really your goal?" Sasuke asked suspiciously. It sounded much too good to be true.

"You don't believe me," the Grass nin replied blandly, and paused, "Well, that is understandable. But do realize this; the longer you stand here arguing with me, the less chance of your teammates being unharmed. I am a jounin; if I wanted to kill you, could I not have already? Why would I waste my time talking?"

Sasuke hesitated. That was true. He opened his mouth and nodded, "Alright then."

The Grass nin smiled, and rose gracefully to his feet. He turned to leave, when suddenly—

A loud cry sounded in Sasuke's ear. A flash of green. The Grass nin stiffened, and a second later he was crouched on his haunches, eyes narrowed. Lee had sailed past him, a kick just barely missing the Grass nin's head.

Sasuke stared in shock as Lee landed below the Grass nin's branch, and turned burning opaque eyes on the Uchiha, "Uchiha-san, I hope that was part of your espionage, and I did not just see you let our enemy go."

Sasuke's mouth was dry, "Lee—Lee—what are you doing?"

The Grass nin's eyes had narrowed, and something akin to annoyance flashed across his face, "This is the pride of the Great Nations. We smaller ninja villages I'm afraid, don't have such sensitivities. If there is ever a choice between our friends and the mission, then it is our friends which come first."

"And that is why Konoha is Konoha, and Grass is still Grass," Lee replied calmly.

The Grass nin's smile turned sardonic, "So I suppose I will have to fight you two after all?"

"No, wait—wait!" Sasuke marched up to Lee, grabbing the green clad by boy the collar, "What are you doing? Why are you stopping him?"

Lee's hand lashed out, and the next thing Sasuke knew, he was being knocked back, his hand slipping from its grip. He let go of Lee's shirt involuntarily, but Lee wasn't quite done with him yet. Sasuke felt a ting at the back of his head, and the next moment his forehead protector had been ripped off, curtsey of Rock Lee.

"It's Konoha's mission to stop him," Lee replied stiffly, holding out Sasuke's forehead protector, "And aren't you a ninja of Konoha?"

Sasuke didn't even glance at the piece of metal. His sole focus was on the protégé of the Green Beast of Konoha. "I am a Konoha ninja, but some things are more important than a mission."

"So you're just going to let him go? Uchiha-san, that is our enemy!"

"He is offering to help us! If we keep him here, he won't be able to convince the others—" Sasuke's throat closed up. He did not even want to think about it. Naruto, with his gut cut open, like—like—his family, on that night many, many years ago. Sasuke took a shuddering breath, his eyes shifting from an obsidian black to blood red, "Lee, let the Grass nin go."

"Never!" Lee exclaimed, turning slightly red, "I will not be intimidated by you!"

"What are you doing?" Sasuke hissed, thoroughly getting frustrated. He chanced a glance at the Grass nin, and saw with annoyance that he was still there. Why wasn't the stupid Grass nin leaving? Did he _have_ to make absolutely sure that Sasuke and Lee wouldn't follow him? "We should let him go. He won't kill anyone but the bridge builder, he'll even save our friends!"

Lee turned burning eyes on Sasuke, and for the first time since he had met the green clad boy, Lee's voice was harsh. "Uchiha-san, are you proposing that we abandon our mission just because we might die? Why are you a ninja then?"

"He's above our level!" Sasuke yelled, throwing up an arm to gesture the largeness of the Grass nin's strength, "We can't beat him!"

Lee's black eyes were glittering with something unfathomable. "So you're proposing that we leave, we run away simply because our chances of winning isn't 100? I have never taken you for a coward, Uchiha-san."

The words struck Sasuke like a blow. He jerked back, as if he had just been slapped. He stumbled, and fell to a crouch, head bowed and eyes wide with confusion. And then, he shook his head, his voice low, "It—it's not like that. If it were just me, I'd… but there's Naruto too! I can't let him be killed by the Demon of the Mist! If I lost somebody else, I'd—I'd—"

"I see…" Lee's eyes were sorrowful, understanding. Sasuke began to feel a glimmer of hope that the green clad boy would abandon his dreams of glory and see that _lives_ were at stake, and then Lee's eyes hardened. "But Uchiha-san, Naruto-kun does not see things like this. I have only known Naruto-kun for a week, but he is a ninja who takes after my own heart. He would hate you for interfering with his fight."

Sasuke clenched his fists, "Better hate than death. Surely you feel the same towards your teammates?"

Lee cocked his head, and then a large grin spread across his face, "I do, but I also know that Tenten-chan and Neji-kun can take care of themselves—I trust them!"

Somehow, these words were even harder to swallow than Lee's previous attack about cowardice. Sasuke felt his throat burn.

"Alright, look Uchiha-san," Lee continued, his tone completely serious, "I am not going to back down. I understand if you want to go check up on your teammates, but I will stay here!"

And with that, Lee put down Sasuke's forehead protector, and leapt towards the Grass nin.

"Heh," Sasuke muttered, closing his eyes. Lee was such an idiot; did he think that if Sasuke went to the battle at the bridge, anything would change? The whole point of Sasuke and Lee letting the Grass nin go peacefully was not to free up the genins' time, but to allow the Grass nin to go and convince his companions not to hurt Konoha. If Lee wanted to fight the Grass nin, then any situation elsewhere would not change.

And yet.

And yet that burning passion, that irreversible determination, that trust… wasn't that what it meant to be ninja? Sasuke felt a smile curl across his lips; maybe he should have become a flower shop keeper instead. Much better insurance.

And then, he stood, tying on his forehead protector in the process. When he opened his eyes again, they were red, with two tomae in each.

* * *

"Late?" Kakashi asked, amuse. Maa, maa, how rude. Here Kakashi was, saving Elric with the goodness of his heart, and the blond poked at his faults in return. He got so little gratitude nowadays. But, ah well, he would play along with it. "Well you see—"

A bolt of lightning raced towards them, homing in on the two and forcing them to jump back into the clearing, where the two strangers were both waiting. Kakashi kept an eye on them both, observing them curiously even as he continued with his statement as if there had been no interruption at all. He noted many things about them, not the least of which who them were.

"—a group of ducklings wandered across my path, and I had to wait for them to pass by. I didn't want to get bitten, you see."

Out of the corner of his eyes, he noticed Elric's graver wounds knit themselves back together, and he instantly understood what the blond was doing. He hid a grin, though really, he didn't need to, since the mask prevented anyone from seeing it anyway.

The two missing nins weren't attacking, and Elric was using this time to heal. With his medical knowledge, Kakashi wasn't surprised that Elric could do it without handseals, and thus, hopefully escaping the attention of the two missing nins.

Well then, Kakashi would have to try his best to stall for as much time as possible.

One of the missing nins, the one with the half metal mask covering his face (and Kakashi did very much resent the copyright issues!), smiled. It wasn't a pleasant smile, "Well, well, what do you know? If it isn't 'Copy-nin Kakashi'. It really is my lucky day."

"Ah, well," Kakashi smiled lopsidedly, giving a one-shoulder shrug, "I do try my best. But I'm afraid you have me at a disadvantage here. Your partner I do recognize as the illustrious 'Homing Tanto', known for his sensor abilities mixed with his sword and lightning affinities. You however, I'm afraid I've never heard of, though those masks on your back should be a definite marker."

"Oh, so you've noticed those, have you?" The Waterfall ninja commented neutrally.

It was honestly hard not to notice them, but noticing them didn't do Kakashi any good. There were too many things that the masks on the Waterfall ninja's back could have been; ranging from tattoos that signaled his rebellion to secret bloodline techniques. Kakashi had decided to leave it alone for now; as a scientist he knew that speculation could lead to death, and he had decided to wait and see what the masks were before he tried to deal with them.

It was the reason that he had posed the question. Although the metal masked nin was unlikely to answer, it was at least worth a try.

Edward stopped the flow of chakra to his body; he had finished healing the injuries that might hinder him in battle, and that was all he could afford to expend his energy on.

"Well…" the Waterfall nin seemed to think for a moment, and then his grin turned primal, "All you really need to know is that that one who will kill you is named Kakazu, and as for the rest… It's really none of your business, is it?"

And before Elric or Kakashi could even blink, the metal masked nin shot forward. Thankfully, Elric and Kakshi didn't _need_ to blink in able to dodge. Elric flew to the left, Kakashi to the right.

Kakazu leaped after Kakashi, aiming a roundabout kick at his head. Kakashi collapsed one knee, just barely dodging the kick as he thrust up an arm, fist clenched in a powerful punch. The Waterfall ninja twisted, allowing the fist to skim his side as his own hand shot out, grasping onto Kakashi's exposed arm. Kakashi used Kakazu as a pole, flipping his body upwards around the place where Kakazu had grasped onto his body, and aiming a deadly kick at Kakazu's head.

The Waterfall nin's eyes widened as he realized what Kakashi was about to do, and the next instant Kakashi felt a cool breeze on his arm as the missing nin quickly let go of him, jumping back to avoid Kakashi's kick.

Kakashi's leg connected with only empty air, but he wasn't fazed. The battle had barely begun after all. He landed softly, catching glimpse of Elric fighting of Tanto's sword with a kunai, before turning around to meet the Waterfall ninja's crazy grin.

"You're more fun than I thought," Kakazu said, his voice vicious. And then, his hand went through familiar seals, and it was Kakashi's turn for his eyes to widen.

Kakashi slammed his hands together, going through seals as quickly as he could, although he knew already that it would be too late to counter Kakazu's jutsu. He bent his leg just as the last stretch of the seals came through, and Kakazu unleashed his A-class fire jutsu.

The son of White Fang leapt to the side, but to his surprise the jet of fire didn't come flying towards him. It went towards the back of Homing Tanto, who suddenly leapt upwards, avoiding the hungry flames and revealing the shocked face of Elric.

Elric hurriedly slammed the palms that were already clapped together into the ground, quickly erecting a huge shield of earth in front of him.

Kakashi quickly changed the seals of his jutsu, going from a lightning one to a Replacement. While he inwardly mourned the chance lost at landing a decisive hit on Kakazu, because for a split second the metal masked nin was vulnerable while he was finishing up with his jutsu and that was what Kakashi had been waiting for initially, he could not let Elric get hit by his mistake.

Elric's shield was melting quickly, and Kakashi knew that it would not hold for much longer. The flames that were spewing past Elric's dissolving block would prevent the blond from escaping by any other way. It really was well planned.

Kakashi's form disappeared as he replaced himself with a log, landing in the woods again as he quickly made another set of seals. Elric's body popped up next to him just as Tanto unleashed his jutsu as well, frying the area that Elric had been just moments before with a tower of lightning.

"I'm sorry," Kakashi murmured, "I had thought that the Waterfall nin was aiming for me with that fire jutsu, but he turned it the last instant."

And that, in turn, allowed Tanto enough time to create a lightning jutsu, and send it towards Elric while the blond was distracted. The fire jutsu had never been the thing that was supposed to finish him off, despite the fact that it was so well coordinated too. With Tanto's body blocking the jutsu, Elric wouldn't have noticed it until it was almost too late. With his mad scramble to survive Kakazu's ninjutsu, Elric of course had failed to notice the gathering energy from Tanto. If Kakashi had taken the chance to hurt Kakazu with his jutsu instead of helping out Elric, Elric might very well have died.

It really was a shame that Obito's words rang in Kakashi's head every day, and Kakashi was the last person who would abandon a comrade.

"It's fine," Elric grumbled, brushing off his cloak. He looked warily at the two missing nins, who were moving towards each other again, though the two hadn't taken their eyes of the Konoha nin. "Thanks."

"Not a problem," Kakashi said mildly, sliding his headband up and revealing Obito's spinning Sharingan. It was obvious now that the two weren't to be taken lightly. "Up for a round two?"

"Of course," Elric replied with a savage grin, crackling his knuckles, "It's time for payback."

The two darted forwards again, disappearing into the trees. This time, it was Elric who engaged Kakazu and Kakashi who fought Tanto.

Kakashi was just about to deliver a powerful axel kick to Tanto's side when suddenly, somehow Elric appeared in front of him, making his eyes widen as he was forced to quickly spin in mid-air to avoid hitting the blond.

"You are," Kakashi said lightly as he landed in a crouch, "disrupting my jutsus."

Edward grinned, showing all teeth, "Really? I think it's more like _you're_ stopping _my_ attacks."

They separated again as a fireball lit the air, roasting the place where they had been moments before. Kakashi flashed through handseals, and called up a ball of fire. He directed it towards Kakazu, but then a water serpent seemed to appear out of nowhere, turning Kakashi's jutsu into nothing but steam. He traced the source, and was surprised to find that it came not from Tanto or Kakazu, but from Elric.

Kakashi narrowed his eyes.

The enemies were S-class ninja, but Kakashi could have coped with that. What he couldn't cope with, was how they always seem to be there for the other whenever a particular weakness was exposed. Kakashi couldn't get a shot in, even with Elric there. Thankfully, Elric seemed to have realized the same thing.

Fighting these people had been… annoying, to say in the least. Kakashi had a great many enemies in his life, but when he had not gained fame for nothing. As he was now, there were not a lot of people who could stand up to him. Even Gai, self-deemed his 'Eternal Rival', could not defeat him in a serious battle.

And so, it had been a long time since Kakashi had felt as pressed as this. The missing nins were actually forcing him to use specific jutsu—_him_. When Tanto had sent that wind jutsu his way, Kakashi had no choice but to counter with fire. And that had gone so well. He hadn't noticed that Elric had used a water attack—no, it was more like the missing nin duo had _prevented_ him from noticing.

He was tired, chakra-exhausted, and slightly burned from the lightning jutsu Tanto had used on him just a few seconds earlier. The only reason he had even survived that was because he knew how to work lightning and was able to reduce its effects before it could burn his heart. Still, he knew he couldn't keep it up forever.

"It looks like," Elric said grimly as he passed by Kakashi again, "going at this individually won't work."

"Then that means," Kakashi mused, "that we'll have to work together?"

While Kakashi was not averse to working as a team (now, anyhow, for he had to admit that when he was younger he wasn't quite as forgiving), very rarely did teamwork allow him to use his abilities one hundred percent. It was only with Gai, whom he had fought countless times, that Kakashi could formulate his best plans and expect them to be followed to the tee.

With others… well, they were not stupid, by any means. Still, Kakashi often had to find himself revising his plans and using less effective ones to accommodate the abilities of the ninja he was working with. If his planning got too complicated, they could not instinctively understand what he was trying to do.

He briefly wondered what type Elric would be. He had heard that the blond was a genius, yes (and if he were a special jounin at that age, then he was quite possibly a genius to rival Kakashi himself) but geniuses tended to have the very real problem of _knowing_ that they were geniuses. Kakashi had learned the hard way not to overestimate himself.

Before Kakashi could act though, as doubt-ridden as he was about what level of expertise he should expect from the one nicknamed for his medical skills, Elric acted.

"Cover me!" Elric yelled as he raced straight towards Kakazu, his palms clapped together in a mock version of a prayer. Kakashi instantly recognized the motion for what it was. It was Elric's bloodline ability or something similar. Kakashi had seen that move earlier. He quickly deduced that Elric needed time to complete whatever it was and time Kakashi could give.

The question was, what did Elric plan to do…?

He didn't have time to dwell on it though, because whatever it was, Tanto and Kakazu obviously weren't going to let Elric complete it.

Kakashi's Sharingan caught the familiar flashes of hand gestures that signaled an upcoming jutsu from both Kakazu and Tanto, but he was not named the copier of over a thousand jutsus for nothing. He instantly recognized exactly what techniques the two were going to use.

Maa, Elric would have to pay him back for this.

Gathering a large amount of chakra, Kakashi went through the seals as fast as he could, flitting through his considerable jutsu arsenal and trying to pick the ones most appropriate. When fire and lightning came from Kakazu and Tanto, Kakashi sent a huge water jet.

"Elric, left!" He called out as soon as his jutsu to counter Kakazu's was done. There was no way he could counter both, but lighting was much easier to dodge than fire. Even as he shouted, Kakashi took out a handful of shuriken and attached explosive tags before flinging them towards where Tanto would be, hoping to delay the Iwa nin long enough for whatever Elric was planning.

Never taking his eyes off Kakazu, Elric leaned left, just barely avoiding the bolt of lightning. In the same motion he rolled the floor, finally splitting his hands apart. Blue lightning crackled, and Kakashi noticed Elric briefly touching the ground before rolling back to his feet. The effect was instantaneous.

Spike jutted out from the ground which Elric touched, tunneling at an amazing speed towards Kakazu. The Waterfall ninja swore and jumped backwards, and it was just then that Elric's form blurred in a distinctive pattern.

Kakazu's eyes widened as realization hit him, but by then it was too late. Elric appeared behind him, a kunai in hand. The Elric that had been racing towards him disappeared in a puff of smoke. Kakazu barely had time to move his body, but he was able to prevent a fatal blow.

The missing nin's leg was slashed open instead, which would have been a debilitating wound in any other fight except…

Kakashi's eyes widened as black, spiderthread-like tendrils erupted from Kakazu's leg wound, exploding outwards at Elric. Elric didn't have time to do anything.

The Konoha jounin quickly slammed his hands together, going through the seals as if his life depended on it. The black tendrils closed around Elric's foot, just as a white puff of smoke concealed Elric's figure.

A moment later the puff of smoke disappeared, leaving a small log in its place. Elric dropped down beside Kakashi, looking winded.

"That was seriously freaky," was the first thing he said.

Kakashi had to admit, Elric's plan wasn't bad.

Elric had made a shadow clone sometime during the duration of their conversation, before he yelled out 'cover me' and drew attention to himself. Then, while Elric was racing towards Kakazu and Tanto, using Kakashi to hold their attention, the shadow clone sneaked up behind Kakazu.

Using the Replacement technique, the shadow clone switched places with Elric, which allowed him to drive a deadly blow to Kakazu. Honestly that _should_ have given Elric the advantage, since he was supposed to be very good in close combat, but the black threads were unexpected.

Nevertheless…

"That was stupid," Kakashi growled, a little annoyed. What did the blond hope to accomplish with a stunt like that? Although the black threads couldn't have been predicted, it _could_ have been predicted that Kakazu would have _some_ sort of ace up his sleeve. Nins of Kakazu's and Tanto's caliber rarely did have a completely 'normal' arsenal. Elric should have realized that before risking close combat, which very nearly took his life.

This just proved to Kakashi that Elric was still a little too young, a little too inexperienced to be taking on S-class ninja. A part of Kakashi felt disappointed by this fact. He hadn't really expected anything more, but still…

Elric turned and shot a grin at him, not a trace of guilt on his face. "I knew you'd follow through."

For a millisecond Kakashi froze, hardly able to believe what he was hearing, before another jutsu came their way and forced them apart. Even as he leapt away though, Kakashi's mind couldn't help but race. Had… had Elric planned that all out, even Kakashi's follow through? That spoke of a huge level of trust and confidence in Kakashi's skills. A cat-like grin spread across the Hatake's face; well then, it wouldn't be fair for him not to reciprocate that trust, would it?

Kakashi landed lightly, and immediately started racing towards Kakazu.

Elric had a sensing ability, right? A plan slowly forming in his head –though this all depended on Elric really— Kakashi started gathering up his chakra, even as he ran. Elric briefly locked gazes with him as he shot past, so brief in fact that Kakashi wasn't even sure if Elric had done that on purpose. He would have to believe that Elric did, however. If not… well, then they were screwed. But with opponents like these, one had to take some chances.

Tanto came flying down towards him, spinning a kick. Kakashi twisted his upper body downwards, bending his waist at just the right angle for Tanto's kick to sail over him. Still running, Kakashi lost no momentum, noticing out of the corner of his eye, Elric darting around Kakazu.

Elric was not letting Kakazu get any quarter, and Kakashi felt that if they continued like this, then they might win. Both their taijutsus were not bad after all, especially if the rumours Kakashi had heard about Elric was true.

He started gathering up chakra in his hand, not caring about his tunnel vision or Tanto. Elric shot a B-class slicing wind jutsu at him, but Kakashi gave it no heed. The edges of the jutsu sliced his cheeks, but it was worth it for the quick back tracking Kakashi heard behind him. Tanto had been following him, but had now fallen behind trying to deal with the jutsu, and he would not make it back to Kakashi's side in time.

Kakazu whipped around, noting instantly that the origin of the jutsu had been from behind him. Elric was on him in a second, and they started exchanging a series of lightning fast taijutsu. Kakashi narrowed his eyes, and allowed the chakra on his hand to ignite.

"Raikiri!" He yelled as he plunged his right hand towards Kakazu's chest. He mentally apologized to Edward as he did so, but this was the only way to end the battle quickly and decisively.

Edward had foreseen that, of course, which was why in the split second that Kakashi had wrapped the lightning around his hand, Edward had changed his taijutsu style completely and instead of engaging Kakazu, had wrapped his arms around him and held the missing-nin still.

The perfected version of the Chidori ripped through the man's chest, all the way to the front of Edward's body. The momentum that Kakashi had built up was too much for him to pull back on. Edward grinned, though Kakashi noted with a small amount of guilt that it was a pained grin, and flipped the three of them to the ground. They hit with a thud, barely avoiding the streak of lightning jutsu that zipped by overhead, frying the space that their heads had previously occupied.

Kakashi instantly tugged his arm back, rolling away as his fingers sped through a series of handseals. There was still Tanto to deal with, whom was the one who shot the lightning jutsu at the three of them. Kakashi had hoped that Edward would also watch out for that one, and Edward had met with all his expectations.

Feeling a grin on his face, Kakashi rolled to a stop, landing on his side as he put up one hand to his mouth, and blew out a plume of fire in the direction of Tanto. He would have to engage Tanto one on one at the moment, to give Edward time to heal the injury that Kakashi had dealt him.

It was just then, that he heard Edward give a loud cry of pain and surprise.

Kakashi jumped to his feet and whipped around despite himself, shocked. With Kakazu down and Tanto avoiding Kakashi's flames, Edward should be fine. Had Kakazu somehow managed to survive Kakashi's best attack? How?

Sure enough, Edward was standing a distance from Kakazu's body, face twisted in a grimace of pain as he clutched his one arm. There was blood trickling down it, and Kakashi instantly realized that Edward must have just avoided a fatal attack by the newly revived Kakazu.

And Kakazu was newly arrived. Somehow, even with the hole in his chest that Kakashi could still see clearly from here, Kakazu was standing. There wasn't even blood dripping.

Kakazu snarled, and then his body seemed to split apart. Kakashi watched in horrid fascination as the four white masks on his back twisted and jumped out from his body, still connected to him by massive black threads. They formed figures taller than even Kakazu, the single white masks making each look as if it were some terrifying wraith come out of a nightmare. Kakashi had seen plenty of disgusting transformations in his time, but this was…

Out of the corner of his eye, Kakashi noted that Tanto had paled.

"Oh no, now you've done it," the Iwa nin whispered, "Kakazu is going to rip you two _apart_."

And then, one of the wraiths fell to the ground, puttering piteously as its mask cracked, then broke off completely.

Kakashi blinked, and stole a quick glance at Edward. The other nin caught his eye, and nodded in agreement; they had both come up with the same conclusion then. These wraiths could be killed, and Kakashi had already killed one.

They sprang into action.

Once again, Edward clapped his hands together, and this time, Kakashi knew what was coming. He quickly positioned himself in front of the blond, kunai in hand and ready to knock back anything that would come their way.

"I won't give you time for that," Kakazu snarled, and lunged towards them. Or rather, the wraiths did.

Kakashi wasn't sure what would happen if the black things touched him, but he wasn't going to find out. The Konoha nin jumped sideways, revealing the blond, a large grin on his face.

"Fire Release: Blast Burn," Edward whispered.

The hand clap that signaled the use of Edward's bloodline technique was only a feint, after all.

The fire came streaming out from the point made by the intersection of Edward's forefinger and thumb, rushing towards the wraiths. They, who had already made the point to capture Kakashi, didn't have time to avoid.

However, Kakazu was not stupid by any means. One of his wraiths quickly leapt in front of the other, taking the brunt of the burn. It screeched in agony, sounding very human at the moment. Out of the corner of his eyes, Kakashi noticed Edward wince.

When the fire stopped, Kakazu pulled the wraiths back to his body, now one short.

"You," Kakazu gasped, his eyes nearly bulging out of his goggles, "how dare you…!"

But Kakashi and Edward were nowhere in sight.

Kakazu narrowed his eyes, having no doubt figured out that Kakashi and Edward had used the fire as cover for them to hide. He whipped towards Tanto, "Where are they?"

In a nearby tree, Kakashi tensed. This was what he had Edward were waiting for. As soon as Tanto completed his sentence, they would commence their plan and strike.

"They're—" Tanto started, only to stop mid-sentence as his eyes widened in shock. He glanced down. Sticking out of his chest was a long, thick and bloody black cord, wrapped in writhing but smaller cords.

"You know what?" Kakazu growled, "on second thought, it would be faster for me to find out myself."

Tanto could only stare in shock as Kakazu pulled his wraith back to him, this time, with Tanto's heart in its possession. Tanto's body dropped to the floor, dead.

In the mess of Kakazu's cords, Tanto's heart pulsed erratically. And then, unbelievably, it mutated and grew. The surface stretched out, becoming long and thin, just like the masks that accompanied Kakazu's wraiths. From behind the mask black strings rippled out, and then grew thicker and thicker until one would have never known that the thing didn't belong to the Waterfall nin if it wasn't for what they just had witnessed.

"Ah," Kakazu said with a grin, his head turning like an owl to Kakashi's position, "there you are."

Kakashi grimaced. He thought it cold even for a missing nin to kill a companion just like that.

A tree a few meters from Kakashi ruffled, and Edward dropped down.

"You killed him," Edward whispered. "You killed your own comrade…"

"So what?" Kakuzu sneered.

Edward's eyes hardened, "That was your biggest mistake."

"Mistake?' Kakuzu jeered, "What, are you one of those moralists who think that if you kill the trash beside you, you'll be forever damned? I should have known. Konoha nins."

Kakashi eye-smiled, and likewise jumped down from his tree. "Um… that's not what he's talking about. What Edward is saying is… now that you've effectively taken out your partner… well, you have no chance."

* * *

Sakura took a step back, her mind awhirl. _Missing Nin!_ Beside her, Tenten had already taken out a kunai, face set in a sort of determined calm as she shifted into a stance.

"Who are you?" Tenten demanded.

The woman smiled like a canary, and leaned forwards from her perch, "My, my, getting ahead of yourselves, aren't we? Before I was booted out of my village, I was on the road to promotion to a jounin. These last few years on the road have taught me quite a few things as well. Quite frankly… you two don't stand a tail of a chance against me. So if you're wise, ask nicely."

Tenten narrowed her eyes, and didn't look like she was going to comply. Sakura gulped; she knew about the levels that jounin fought at. Even Sasuke and Naruto together hadn't been able to beat Baruna, whom she had been told was a low level jounin after the fight. What chance did she and Tenten have?

"Can you please tell us who you are?" Sakura asked hastily, before Tenten could. "And why you're here?"

Tenten shot her a Look, but didn't say anything. Sakura's attention was on the missing nin. Her brain was working rapidly. It was obvious why the Iwa nin was here, but the question remained, why was the Iwa nin after them? Surely it made more sense if any ninja that Gato hired attacked Tazuna rather than two little girls.

The Iwa nin smiled, "Oh? It looks like someone knows their manners around here. Very well, since you were so polite, I'll answer you. I am Fugimoto Miwaki, previously from Iwagakure. The reason I am here is to have some fun."

_Huh?_

Tenten looked equally as confused.

"You see," the woman continued, her smile suddenly getting sharper, "I came with a fellow company of three other ninja. But I… I did not go with them see, because I was afraid that they'd ruin my fun. Do entertain me."

And at that moment she _moved_. One instant she was sitting on the roof, and in another instant she had appeared in front of them, and they were flying into a wall. People screamed, and scrambled away from the area.

Sakura's back hit the stone building with a sickening crack, a jolt of pain racing through her body. She slid down to the ground, and slumped, groaning in pain. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Tenten do the same.

A dozen meters in front of them, Fugimoto giggled, "Well, how was that?"

Tenten shakily stood to her feet, her hands in her pouch and a determined look on her face. "My teammates have done worse."

"Oh?" Fugimoto sounded practically gleeful, "Alright then, I'll step it up a notch."

And it was then, that Tenten's hand came out of her pouch, and something exploded. Smoke erupted, covering as far as the eye could see. Sakura coughed, then squeezed her eyes shut, not wanting the offending smoke to get into her eyes. Just then, she felt a hand wrap around her own, and automatically lashed out.

"Hush, Sakura," came Tenten's quiet voice, barely a whisper, "It's me."

Sakura stopped struggling, abashed, and allowed Tenten tug her to a standing position. Of course it was Tenten! Tenten was a superb ninja, and as soon as she head that Fugimoto was a ninja, Tenten had probably already started planning for this. Escape under the cover of smoke. Together they ran, even as they heard the mad laughter that followed them.

"So, playing a game of cat and mouse, are we?" The woman cackled, her voice fading as they ran further and further away, "Very well, I'll oblige you. I'll hunt you two down myself!"

And then her voice couldn't be heard at all.

They had raced out of the perimeter of smoke, and their very next move was to duck behind a series of alleyways.

"Why are we stopping?" Sakura asked, wondering why they weren't just making a run for it to Tazuna's house. They were not so far away, now. If they ran for ten more minutes, they could make it.

Tenten turned to her, confused, "What do you mean, why are we stopping?"

"I mean," Sakura said, feeling a slight sense of agitation, "We're almost at Tazuna's house. Wasn't your smoke bomb for us to escape?"

Comprehension dawned in Tenten's eyes. Slowly, she shook her head, "No, that is not why I employed the smoke bomb. I just wanted some time—I wanted to pick the battlefield. My specialty is weapons and traps, and I was at a disadvantage there. Sakura, you weren't seriously thinking of abandoning the battle, were you?"

Sakura felt horror well up inside her, "Bu—but, you must be crazy! We're not match for her!"

Fugimoto had been too fast for Sakura's eyes to see. Maybe if she had Sasuke's Sharingan she could stand a chance, but as it was, Fugimoto completely and utterly outmatched them.

"Maybe not," Tenten said grimly, looking back in the direction of Fugimoto, "But we can't let her pass us."

"Why not?"

"Why? Sakura-chan you dummy, can't you see why?" Tenten's voice was almost amused, teasing. "And here I thought you were the smartest girl of the year. Well here's why; Fugimoto has told us that she has three others in her company which have gone off to assassinate Tazuna. If we go to Gai-sensei and the others, she will follow. We don't know how good her teamwork is with the others, so we can't afford to let her meet up with them."

"How can you be so nonchalant about this!" Sakura cried. She had of course, thought of those points herself, but she hadn't wanted to acknowledge it. Acknowledging meant that she couldn't just trust in the authority of her sensei and teammates, and that she couldn't just find them and be safe.

Tenten's grip tightened on her kunai (when had she gotten out a kunai?). "I've been on more missions than you Sakura, C-class ones. Although this one is probably turning out to be the most dangerous mission we've ever been on, some lessons you don't forget. You must keep your cool, or else you will lose it all. You have smarts Sakura-chan, so use them."

Sakura stayed silent, then—"But we're still no match for her."

Tenten sighed, "Then what do you propose we do, Sakura-chan?"

"Maybe," Sakura said tentatively, thinking back to Naruto and Sasuke's almost careless manner of handing Baruna—a jounin. "Maybe we should let our teammates take care of her. No listen—I know what you've said about the others already attacking them, but that should just be Kakashi-sensei, Edward-san, and Gai-san, right? For Fugimoto, we wouldn't even have to bother our senseis, but _we_ don't necessarily have to be the ones who fight her. From what you said, Neji-san and Lee seem to be super strong ninja, and I know that Sasuke-kun and Naruto are—"

Now, Tenten actually took her eyes off the direction of the enemy. She had whirled around to face Sakura, the look of disbelief on her face making the pinkette pause. Then, the look of disgust. "Sakura, you can't be serious."

She had said it a second time. The phrase which meant that she didn't quite believe what Sakura was saying.

"Wh-why not?" Sakura stuttered.

"You're suggesting," Tenten said slowly, "That we allow this woman to go find our teammates without a word of warning to them, because what—because you think we're incapable of defeating her? You're allowing our teammates the risk of them dying because you're too afraid of fighting her? I judged you wrongly, Sakura."

"Th-that's not—I mean, this isn't the time to be prideful Tenten, we can't beat her!"

"Maybe you can't," Tenten said in disgust as she turned away to look around the corner, "But I'll give it my all."

"It won't be helpful to Sasuke-kun and the others if we die here," Sakura cried out, "We need to let them know that there's a missing nin who can track their chakra signatures."

Tenten let out a sigh, and turned around again. This time, her eyes were surprisingly soft, "Sakura-chan, you aren't cut out to be a ninja. I suspected it the first day we did training together, but I ignored it because I desperately wanted to find a girl who was serious about ninja work. It's so hard you know, and sometimes it gets lonely being the only girl in a pack of guys. Do I ever even get treated like a female anymore? I had tricked myself. Sakura-chan, you're not cut out to be a ninja."

Sakura opened her mouth, then closed it, feeling surprisingly hurt by the revelation.

"I don't mean that in a bad way," Tenten quickly amended, probably guessing Sakura's thoughts, "It was my own fault, really. What I mean is, you don't deserve to die here. When you go back, you should hang up your forehead protector and become a gentlewoman; a woman of books and words—I think that would make you happier. You don't like training, and you don't like violence; that's okay. I'm not looking down on you. All I'm saying Sakura-chan, is that you should give up on Sasuke, a guy who's probably not even worth it. Do what _you_ really want to do."

"Tenten, this—why—" her mouth was dry. She didn't quite know what to say. For once, words were abandoning her.

"I'm telling you this because I want you to go back," Tenten said quietly. "You're right, I was getting too ahead of myself. We need to warn the others above all else. But, this woman won't make it easy for us. You… go back and warn the others, then find a safe place to stay until all this is over. I'll… go and distract Fugimoto."

"Bu-but you'll die!" Sakura protested, "Fugimoto is a chuunin, and without teamwork you'll—"

"Even if you were there," Tenten smiled tiredly, "I'm not sure we could work well together. No, the important thing right now is warning the others. I'll do better alone."

That hurt more than Sakura would have liked to admit.

"So…" Tenten hesitated, "You okay with this, Sakura?"

Numbly, Sakura nodded. There was nothing else she could say, that much she knew. The weapons mistress had made up her mind, and there was nothing Sakura could do short of knocking her out to change it. And Sakura had no confidence in knocking _Tenten_ out.

Tenten smiled at her one last time, then turned around and ran back towards the direction of the smoke. Sakura turned as well, towards Tazuna's house, towards her teammates, towards safety. She started to run.

Without the smoke impeding her vision, she could see flashes of torn down houses and shrivelling plants as she passed them at her top speed. She even saw a warehouse. The people had blurred into peachy outlines, and they were no longer reaching out to her. Whether it be her speed or some strange type of telepathy, they had known that reaching out to her would bring them no luck.

Sakura squeezed her eyes shut.

Yes, she could not help them, just as she could not help Tenten.

Tenten was going to die, even she knew that. The words she wanted Sakura to tell her team was proof of that. She had given herself a suicide mission, all for the sake of Sakura getting back to the others and warning them. Helping them. Ha, what help could Sakura give them anyway? She was just as useless as ever. A messenger, that's what she'd always be. A useless bird that could get shot down by anyone if they weren't protected.

She was no help during the battle with Baruna, and no help now. She couldn't help. She had no special abilities like Sasuke and Naruto, she was not a genius like Elric-san and Kakashi-sensei. She was useless. The best thing she could do for Tenten was grant the girl her last wish. And yet…

She remembered their week of training together, where she and Tenten had shared many laughs and just as many beauty tips. She remembered the day that she, Tenten, and Tsunami-san had simply sat by the ocean, watching the sun dip behind the waves. She remembered earlier that morning, Tenten comforting her and giving her advice on Sasuke…

"_Those who abandon their comrades are lower than trash."_

Sakura paused in mid-step, her fist clenching. Then, she turned her heel, and started racing back towards Tenten.

* * *

"_I hadn't planned on going all out on you," The masked boy said softly, a wistful tone in his voice, "But your skills are too high. If I'm not serious, I'm afraid I won't be of any help to Zabuza-sama. I have not been honest with you; this is not my real speed- I was planning to save my real speed to surprise the jounins, but it looks like I'll need it now. And I will also be aiming for fatal places now. Prepare yourselves."_

_And then, the masked boy __**moved**__._

Neji's eyes widened as the masked boy disappeared from sight. Even with his Byakugan's range of radius of thirty meters, he could no longer see where the boy was. Before, Neji had at least been able to keep up with the masked boy's movements because he could always see where the boy potentially was, but now Neji saw not even a flicker of a shadow in any of the twenty ice mirrors.

The Hyuuga clenched his fists. That boy… had been _toying_ with them.

Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted a rain of senbon, and barely managed to jump to the right. The company of ten still managed to graze him though, paralyzing his right arm. Neji was a Hyuuga, and as such, deeply sensitive to the nerves and workings of the human body. He knew that his right arm would be out of commission for weeks, and he did not currently have that time to recover.

He gritted his teeth, going back to trying to think of a new way out of this, only with new variables. He had already tried everything previously, but that was with only himself in the equation. Thoughts flashed through his mind at a speed only true geniuses could achieve; strategies being picked up and discarded almost as soon as they were formed. He had Uzumaki's insane jutsu strength now as well as his own precision, but his arm would be a hindrance. Masked ninja had showed his ace, so it could be assumed that the evaluation of the Kiri nin could be done with. Ice mirrors were a bloodline, but possibly consumed a lot of chakra…?

"Uzumaki!" Neji called out, shifting to the half-stand, half-crouching position. "Do you know any fire jutsu?"

"Plenty!" Uzumaki called back, just barely avoiding a shower of senbon, "Why do ya wanna know, bastard?"

Neji gritted his teeth, and told himself to bear the insult. This was not the time to get into an argument; there would be plenty of time to teach Uzumaki a lesson after they defeated the Kiri nin. "You must fire some at the ice mirrors, because—"

A slew of senbon needles came his way. Neji smiled grimly; it seemed then, that his guess was right. Otherwise, why would the masked ninja bother trying to shut him up? Neji dug his heel into the ground, and spun. Finally, he came to a stop, when no more senbon needles were raining down on him. Neji stood, breathing heavily, eyes darting around in preparation for another attack.

Uzumaki was just standing there, gaping at him for a second, but then another shower of senbon went flying towards him and he was too busy trying to avoid them to goggle at Neji.

Neji felt a grim smile spread across his face; well, was that all? He had done it. He had just performed Trigrams Palms Heavenly Spin after all, and successfully too, so he thought he might deserve a bit of reprieve. He still couldn't believe that he had done it. Trigrams Palms Heavenly Spin was the Hyuuga clan's pride and secret, and Neji had just recently seen it. He hadn't mastered it yet, and he was leery of using an untested technique in battle, but it had been the only potential way to stop those senbon. And he had succeeded.

The pride and joy of the main Hyuuga branch… was it that easy to master? A sneer replaced the smile. Of course, it might have been only because he was a genius; to regular people, such a technique might be beyond them. Such a technique was heavenly, but if Neji hadn't seen it, it would have been doomed the moment it was passed to Hinata Hyuuga's eyes.

And then, he shook his head; now was not the time to think about the Main Branch and their senseless nature. The Masked nin was engaged with Uzumaki, who was making a real effort to match the Kiri ninja's speed, and falling short. Nevertheless, Uzumaki was still standing, despite looking like a pincushion already. Neji had to end this quickly.

"Quickly!" Neji barked, "Tell me the handsigns for a fire jutsu! We need to melt the ice, because they will melt! It just doesn't seem like it because he keeps reforming them the instant they are vapourized, but it will take him a lot of chakra. We can wear him down! So quick, teach me a jutsu!"

He hated to state out his strategy so clearly, but he wasn't sure if Uzumaki would understand otherwise. Already he was depending much on the prankster personality of the blond's, and the fact that he was best friend of Sasuke Uchiha. Uzumaki, Neji had to admit, did know how to strategize.

Uzumaki's eyes shifted to his for a single instant, and then a huge grin spread across his face. Neji knew in that instant that Uzumaki had understood. "Can do! Rat. Boar. Pig. Hare. Fire Release: Crimson Burn!"

Neji gave a barely perceptible nod, crouching low and putting his hands together…

A rush of senbon needles came flying his way. Neji immediately spread out his arms, and spun. Distantly, he heard a voice call out 'Fire Release: Crimson Burn', and felt red hot heat burn his palms. Neji stopped spinning just in time to see a large plume of fire crash into the mirrors, and a smile spread across his face. A double distraction was the plan, and the masked ninja had fallen right into—

And then, Uzumaki gave a loud cry.

Neji's head snapped towards the direction almost without meaning to, his eyes wide with shock. Even with the Byakugan, he still retained the instinct. Uzumaki had his back arched, his face screwed in an expression of pain. On his back were fifty some senbon, all aimed towards fatal places. Uzumaki stumbled, and fell forward, collapsing into a heap on the ground. He did not breathe.

Uzumaki was dead. The question was… how?

The answer appeared in front of him. It was the masked boy, and this time he had gotten out of the mirrors. Evidently, he did not feel that Neji was a threat. Neji knew he could not correct him.

"I have analyzed your eyes," the masked ninja said softly, answering Neji's unspoken question "While we were fighting. You seem to have 50 meters of vision, so I made sure to stay out of that range when I fired on your friend. He didn't see it coming because he was using his jutsu, and I made sure _you_ could not see it coming."

Neji felt laughter bubble in his throat, and it was not the joyous kind. He had been defeated, fair and square. He had relied too much on his all-seeing eyes and his Trigrams Palms Heavenly Spin. Too much on his strategy. He should have known that a fellow genius would see through it.

"You have put up a grave fight," the Kiri nin continued, his eyes momentarily shifting to the orange clump on the ground. "But with your friend gone, you must know you stand no chance. Goodbye."

Neji closed his eyes, accepting his death. He had come far, but in the end he had fallen to a genius that surpassed him. It was fate. So… so why did the feeling taste like ash in his mouth, make his eyes and throat burn as if he were going to cry?

He had not cried since he was four years old, when he had something to regret, when Hizashi Hyyuga, his idol, had been so cruelly ripped away from him, all for the sake of an immoral clan. The world had seemed do dim that day, and Neji had seen the fateful truth beneath all the bright colours that coloured the earth.

The world was not a bright place. It was a place where only death and pain could exist. The flowers that he had admired at four would wither before the year was done, and those bright lavender eyes could only dull and fill with fear in response to the ugly world.

Yes, that was a day to regret, because if he had seen the realities of the world sooner, than perhaps things wouldn't have happened as they did. Perhaps if he hadn't been so trusting of the clan head, his father's own _brother_, then misfortune would not have come to the Hyuuga clan.

But what was he regretting now? Why did his very being rebel at the thought of a death like this? He couldn't be afraid of death could he? No, it couldn't be. All ninja were destined to die a violent death, he knew that. His death was fate…

He heard the sharp _shiiiinnng_ of a kunai being pulled out, and a tell-tale _whoosh_ as something was intercepted in the air.

Neji's eyes snapped open in shock, Byakugan activating automatically. There, to his left, was Uzumaki, standing with one hand clenched to his side and sweat dripping down his face. But other than that, he seemed fine. He wasn't… dead.

"Heh," Uzumaki chocked out, giving Neji a look that the Hyuuga couldn't decipher, "What was that, genius boy? Even Sasuke wouldn't accept defeat so easily."

Anger quickly replaced shock. It would have been foolish not to accept defeat; he had not chance against the ice user, and it had taken him a while to realize. There was no point in dragging out the fight and it would only soil both their honours. It was like ploughing through a game a chess when it was clear who the winner was; unprincipled and unsportsmanlike. Fate could not be fought. For all the genius that Sasuke was, the Uchiha was a fool if he would keep fighting in this situation.

The masked boy brought Neji out of his thoughts, his tone of voice indicating surprise. "You… I that place was fatal. How are you still alive?"

Uzumaki grinned, though it looked more like a grimace from Neji's perspective. He got a little bit of bitter satisfaction from that. "You aimed, but you didn't look. I avoided it just slightly, so that it only skimmed that fatal point."

Now it was the missing nin's turn to smile. One could hear it in his voice. "You are smarter than you look, ninja-san. But, I already knew that."

Uzumaki let out a feral grin, despite the fact that he was still clutching his side and looking pale. "Shall we get started for round two then?"

"Round Two?" The missing nin sounded hesitant. "Please ninja-san, you must see the difference between us. That last senbon almost killed you. If we continue this battle, you will die."

"Heh, no I won't. I'll beat you."

Neji had enough.

"Will you listen to yourself?" He spat out at the village pariah, earning the surprised looks of both Uzumaki and the masked boy. "This guy is beyond our level Uzumaki! Even I will accept that! He's a genius with a bloodline, you'll never beat him!"

"Oh, eh, but—" Uzumaki's eyes hardened, "Hey look Hyuuga, just 'cause you're willing to give up when things are starting to look a little downhill, doesn't mean that everyone else is. The rest of us grit our teeth and pull through, fighting hardships because there's nothing else we _can_ do. And you know what? It works!"

"Those are the ignorant words of a failure," Neji sneered, "You were not born with talent, and thus you had to—"

"Will you listen to yourself!" Uzumaki exploded, whipping a finger up to point at the masked boy. The masked boy looked startled. "We're in the middle of a battlefield and you're blabbering about _giving up_ because we're _not good enough_. Bullshit! What's the point of being a ninja if you run with your tail between your legs every time you see an obstacle course that you can't see the end of, huh? Where's your ninja pride?"

Ninja… pride? Ridiculous, this was the words of some loser—

"Ugh, I've had enough of you," Uzumaki grumbled loudly, stepping forward and turning to face the Mist nin, "Just ignore this guy, alright? Shall we get started?"

"Are you two… not comrades?" The Mist nin asked, sounding hesitant.

Uzumaki sent a glare in Neji's direction, "I thought we were, but apparently not. Like heck Konoha has a stupid coward like this in her ranks."

Stupid… coward? He was not! He—

"_Just give up, there's no point in continuing. You're lost already."_

"_Why does Lee try so hard? Oh Neji, I'm not so sure you should be asking me that. But if you really want to know… well, you believe in all that fate stuff right? I suppose then, you could say that Lee is training to be strong enough to defeat fate." _

"_Neji, just you watch. While you're sitting on your genius, I will work hard, and I will surpass you!"_

"I don't know about this idiot," Uzumaki's voice startled Neji, bringing the genius out of his memories. Neji inwardly uttered a soft curse; it was a rookie's mistake to get distracted by thoughts during a battle. "But I won't die here, I have a dream to fulfil!"

The masked nin sighed, "I'd hate to agree with your… associate, but he is correct. You have no chance against me, even more so now that you two are divided. Becoming a true ninja is difficult for me. If possible, I don't want to have to kill you. Nor want you to have to kill me. But if you come at me... I can destroy my kind heart with a blade and become a true ninja. This bridge is the place we fight... to connect to our dreams. Me, for my dreams, and you, for your dreams. Please don't hate me. I want to protect someone close to me. To work for that person. To fight with that person. To make that person's dreams come true. That is my dream."

"What bull!" Uzumaki's eyes were blazing. "I've... I've once forced someone very close to me to kill his kind heart, because I was too weak. I won't let the same thing happen to you, because I won't let you kill us!"

Uzumaki screamed, and charged. Neji could already see that it would be of no use. Uzumaki was moving much slower than he did at the beginning, and he had been beaten soundly at the beginning.

Neji clenched his fists; why… why was Uzumaki still trying?

"Farewell," the masked nin muttered, and let loose a cascade of senbon.

There was no way Uzumaki could avoid it, not injured like he was.

And then, before Neji knew what he was doing, he was in front of the blond, arms spread wide to protect the most area. The senbons struck him, penetrating deep. Blood spurted from his mouth, and Neji fell backwards.

A touch at his back. Blurred pictures. And then wide, questioning blue eyes. The back of his mind registered that Uzumaki had to have caught him, even if Neji couldn't detect that from his senses any longer. He blinked back the blackness, trying to focus on the blond. The blond and his determined blue eyes.

"You—why—?" Uzumaki choked out. "I—you—"

"I—I don't—" Neji said weakly, "I don't quite understand it. Bu—but I believe, that if it's you…"

And then, Neji Hyuuga died.


	24. XIII

A/n: Sorry for the long wait, but I just wasn't in the mood to write fight scenes. And considering this whole chapter was pretty much fighting, I wanted to wait until I could write a decent one rather than just getting through it. Still am not really satisfied, but I think I've held off this chapter for long enough.

Chapter 13- Burning Brightly

She found Tenten dripping blood and Fugimoto laughing hysterically.

Sakura gasped, her hands going to her mouth in horror as she skidded to a stop. The two kunoichi stood some distance apart, but Fuigmoto looked as impeccable as ever while Tenten… "Oh no, Tenten!"

Both sets of eyes turned towards her, one pair widening with shock while the other shone with unholy glee.

"Oohoo," Fugimoto giggled to the sky, "looks like I'll get one more plaything after all."

Sakura ignored the Iwa nin, rushing up to her newest friend. Tenten looked as if she were about to fall down at any moment, and it was all Sakura's fault. She never should have left the weapons mistress.

Tenten's leg buckled, sending her down to one knee as her inner strength left her. Dismay was plain on her face as she looked up at Sakura. Her left arm hung limply against her side, "Sakura… what are you doing back here?"

"To meet her death, of course," Fugimoto crowed.

"I- I- I… I found that I couldn't leave you, Tenten," Sakura said, hastily wiping a tear from her eyes. Tenten's condition was her fault. All her fault. "M-m-my sensei said that those who break the rules might be trash, but those who abandon their comrades are even worse than trash!"

Tenten let out a sigh, "Your sensei…"

"Well isn't this sweet!" Fugimoto cooed mockingly, putting a hand to her chest, "This really warms my heart!'

Tenten's eyes narrowed, and then she snarled, snapping her head towards the Iwa nin with a furious expression on her face. "Will you shut up!"

A calculating glint entered the older female's gaze, "Is that really the way to talk to the one who has your life in her hands? Although of course, it doesn't look like I'll have to move a finger for your puny life to end."

Fugimoto was right, of course. As soon as Tenten had her outburst, she had burst into a fit of coughs that just wouldn't stop. Sakura fluttered about the girl uselessly, not sure what to do. It was obvious what had happened; she had read so much in books. Tenten had some internal injuries, and she upset them when _she_ got so upset.

"Keep calm, keep calm," Sakura muttered, only just managing to keep the flood of helpless tears at bay. Even her suggestion would be of little help, but she needed to do _something_. "You must."

Fugimoto hummed in inner amusement, "That's actually quite sound advice, although I have to say, it won't help you in this instance."

"G-go," Tenten choked out, her teeth stained red with blood, "Get away, Sakura."

Her whole body shook. Obviously, she had no chance. Absolutely zero. If Tenten, who was a superior kunoichi in every way, couldn't even land a scratch on Fugimoto, what chance did Sakura have of doing anything?

Still, she had promised herself that she would not abandon her comrades.

"No," she said, surprised that none of the shakiness she was feeling showed in her voice, "I'm not leaving without you."

"Sakura you're—"

For once, Sakura ignored her elder. With a lightning fast motion that even she didn't know she was capable of, Sakura reached into Tenten's pockets, and snatched out the balls she had seen Tenten use earlier. She threw them at the ground as hard as she could, and plumes of grey smoke erupted from them, once again covering the area.

"This again?" Fugimoto's voice rang out through the fog. She sounded bored. "Well, whatever. I'll give you some time, I suppose. You'd better make this chase good, otherwise I might think twice about giving you another chance."

Sakura paid the older nin no heed, though she was inwardly grateful for their chance to leave yet again. Wrapping Tenten's arm around her shoulders, Sakura quickly made for their escape, a surprised Tenten hobbling beside her.

The pink haired girl made a corner whenever she could, because although she knew it had to be hard on Tenten, she also knew that making turns were the best way to confuse an enemy. It was only her photographic memory that was telling them that they weren't going around in circles.

"What was that for?" Tenten muttered as soon as they were far away enough from Fugimoto to speak again. Her voice was still disbelieving, but there was a resigned edge to it that Sakura found reassuring.

"We're getting away together, or not at all." Sakura murmured. She felt as if she were in a dream, doing all the heroic things she would usually only attribute to the older, more experienced ninjas.

"Have you been watching _A Ninja's Lover_ as well?" Tenten murmured in amusement, obviously recognizing the line from the famous scene. And then, she coughed again, and couldn't stop, looking as if she were about to cough away her intestines.

"Don't talk," Sakura said worriedly. It was hard to hold back the tears; even with their odds, Tenten was still trying to make her feel better with jokes and references only girls would recognize. It just showed what sort of person her sempai was.

Tenten just shook her head. "You shouldn't have come back for me."

Sakura bit her lip, "I couldn't leave you to die."

"She's too powerful," Tenten said through clenched fists, "we have no chance. I… I was stupid. I should have…"

She trailed off, a look of half anger, half shame crossing her features.

"Tenten-san, what…?"

"Damn her," Tenten muttered, tears stinging her eyes, "there is one jutsu that I think can defeat her, but she's too fast for me. If only Lee were here…"

Sakura swallowed.

Tenten's eyes widened as she seemed instantly to realize what she had implied, and she hastily shook her head. "No wait Sakura, I didn't mean it like that. It'd be great if Lee were here, because he's even above my level, but even I'm not sure he could stand against Fugimoto."

Sakura could only weakly in reply, "But if Lee-san were here, you wouldn't even be as wounded as you are now."

"Or maybe we'd both be dead," Tenten shot back, "Sakura, you've really impressed me by coming back, despite the fact that we both know your level is nowhere near Fugimoto's. I just wish… I just wish that I could act as the super cool sempai and show off some super cool move that would destroy that devil at the last moment, but I… but I…"

Her finger tightened against her palm until her knuckles were stalk white.

Sakura felt her heart give a thump. Why was Tenten so hard on herself when she had already done so much?

"That's… that's not fair," Sakura said softly. Tenten looked back up at her, confused, but Sakura kept on going. "That's not fair that you're looking down on yourself like that! You're great! You've beaten Sasuke and Naruto at weaponry, and you've held off a chuunin long enough for me to escape. Only I came back. It was always me that messed up, not you! So why are you beating yourself up over this?"

Her voice got progressively louder, even though she didn't notice it at the time. At the end of the rant though, Sakura realized that talking so loudly might not be such a good idea. In fact, it was a downright stupid idea.

"Sorry," the pink haired girl muttered, feeling a spike of worry about whether Fugimoto would hear them or not.

Tenten's eyes had softened, "It's okay. I don't think I deserve all that praise but… thanks. Still, if we keep going like this, we'll both be killed. If you go now, you still have enough time to get away, but if you stay, it'll just become two dead bodies instead of one. I was too arrogant; I underestimated Fugimoto. I thought we could take her if we worked together, but her level is even beyond that…"

Sakura's body shook at the thought of death, but she resisted the urge to run. She had gotten over that obstacle already. She shook her head, thinking back to the numerous missions she had done with Sasuke and Naruto. Even though they had tended to exclude her at those times, making her burn too brightly with jealousy to see what was really going on, now she could see something about them that she never had before. "Teamwork… teamwork can do a lot of amazing things. Didn't you say earlier that you had a jutsu that could even take on Fugimoto?"

Tenten looked down, her body tense. She was obviously still frustrated about that. "Yes, but like I said, it would require her to stay completely still. If it were Lee or Neji, they could probably make the opponent like that, but Sakura, you can't! It's nothing to be ashamed of; what you need to do is escape now and train so that you can be like that in the future!"

Sakura swallowed; again with the talk of escaping. Evidently Tenten didn't think she could handle the situation, and Sakura didn't blame her. Personally, she wasn't so sure she could handle the situation either. "Tenten-san, listen. About that…"

Tenten listened, her eyes growing wider by the second as Sakura outlined her plan, bringing them ever closer to the place where they would set up. After she was done, Tenten took a full minute to stare at the pinkette in sheer amazement, before reality kicked in again.

"No way, that's too impractical. You're counting too much on Fugimoto's arrogance."

Sakura felt a stab of pain in her heart as her plan was rejected; but then again, what had she expected? She nodded meekly, "I… I know, but think back to our conversations with her. Doesn't she seem overly confident? But I understand if you don't want to go through with it; I mean it's risky, and it's really depending on me. I don't even know if I can do it, and if I mess up we'll both die. Ac—actually, maybe it's better if we don't do this after all…"

Tenten's eyes searched her for a long time, before finally softening. "You're not going to leave me, are you?"

Sakura shook her head.

Tenten let out a loud sigh, though for some reason it didn't sound disappointed at all. "Alright then, let's go through with this plan of yours. After all, it's the only thing we've got."

Sakura nodded, determined not to disappoint her sempai. Supporting the other girl, Sakura made for the building she had seen on her way here. They walked silently, each lost in their own thoughts.

To be honest the pink haired girl wasn't sure if she could even do it. She thought she could recall it all, but this wasn't like the Academy tests. As Naruto and Sasuke had shown her so obviously earlier that week, she was far from their level.

A bitter smile crossed her lips. She had learned a lesson that day when 'Dancing Steel Baruna' had defeated them so utterly, and yet she had not applied it. She had a whole week to overcome her weaknesses, and yet all she did was… what? Be depressed, gossip, watch her teammates practice. She certainly did not train as hard as she could have.

They arrived at the warehouse shortly. When they pushed open the doors and let fresh air into the stale building, Sakura was surprised to find that there was actually not a lot inside. The place was nearly bare, with only a few boxes here and there.

A moment later Sakura realized why it was, and couldn't help the stab of indignation go through her. Wave Country had been drained of its resources by Gato, and that was why the once prosperous town now had no wares to fill its storage spaces. Gato was shipping all of it off.

"Sakura?" Tenten breathed, breaking the thirteen year old girl from her thoughts. The elder female's voice was still scratchy, strained from all the walking.

"I'm going to have to let go of you for a while," Sakura apologized, looking back to the older girl.

Tenten semi glared as if offended, and then she grinned and the whole expression fell apart. She shook Sakura's arm off, taking a step back without swaying as her lips curled into a smirk. "Don't worry, I can still stand. Thanks for helping me here, but I can take it from here."

Sakura nibbled her lip worriedly. She saw the faint tremours raking Tenten's body, but she knew she couldn't argue back without offending the girl. Tenten was a true ninja through and through.

She took a deep breath, and nodded. "Alright. Should we get started, then?"

Somehow or another, they finished before Fugimoto found them. Perhaps, as before, Fugimoto wasn't looking particularly hard, but Sakura wasn't going to jinx it by pondering too deeply on it. They had actually been done quite a few minutes before Fugimoto burst in, the sun behind her making her appear as a wraith come to collect her prize.

The warehouse did not look the same as before. Broken plates and tipped over boxes were everywhere, making the ground almost impossible to see. Sakura and Tenten hid behind a few boxes that were still upright, waiting with baited breath for Fugimoto to move.

The chuunin took one look around, and laughed. "Is that the best you can do?"

Sakura felt herself suck in a deep breath despite herself. How? Had they been discovered?

"It's so obvious you're here," Fugimoto sneered, taking a few steps forward and nudging a broken piece of pottery with her toe, "and it's so obvious what you have planned. Did you really think that this would get me?"

As soon as the word 'me' left her lips, Fugimoto kicked the pottery forward at lightning speed. It snagged onto something halfway through the warehouse, and in another instant a dozen kunai flew out from the sides, but they hit nothing but the ground.

Sakura clenched her fists. One trap down.

"It's so obvious what you planned to do," Fugimoto said with a shake of her head, somehow sounding both malicious and extremely disappointed in the same breath. "You have someone wounded, you yourself are not a great fighter, and most importantly, there is broken merchandise everywhere as a result of your failure to clean up after your trails. You rigged the place with traps, didn't you?"

Sakura held her breath. It didn't matter if Fugimoto had figured that part out; as long as she didn't know _what_ particular traps Sakura had, it didn't matter if—

"Oh, and if you think I'm going to go over to those particular boxes you two are hiding behind, you can think again. I know you must have prepared something special for me there. I'll just burn down the place with you two in it; what do you think of that?"

Sakura's eyes widened as Fugimoto easily bypassed the trap that destroyed her without even moving from her spot. And then Fugimoto's words fully hit her.

"No!" Sakura yelled, jumping up from her position and exposing herself. Beside her, Tenten hissed in disapproval, but there was nothing the weapons mistress could do at that moment. Sakura had already revealed where she was. "No, you can't do that!"

"And why not?" Fugimoto asked with a wicked glee in her eyes. "Sure, I would like to torture you two bit by bit, but it looks as if I can't go over there. If you're so insufficient in the other ninja arts, that must mean you have smarts, right? I don't want to chance dying by being overconfident. Besides, watching people burn to death isn't all that bad."

"No!" Sakura screamed, knowing that she couldn't let Tenten have that fate. The weapons mistress didn't deserve it. Screaming for all she was worth, Sakura drew a kunai and leapt towards Fugimoto.

"Sakura!" Tenten yelled out, alarmed. She also sprang up from her position, only to wince and stagger at the sudden movement. Still, that didn't stop her as she tried to move forward. "No, don't, Sakura!"

Sakura ignored her. She wouldn't let it end like this. She couldn't let it end like this. Borrowing a little of the strength of Naruto, she rushed towards Fugimoto, yelling out her fear and hate and not allowing any reason to creep into her mind. Reason would only slow her at this point.

Fugimoto laughed, and bounded forward. The female ninja met her halfway, but Sakura hardly noticed her move. In an instant Sakura felt her wrist being grabbed and twisted behind her back, and before she knew it, Fugimoto had defeated her before she could even start the fight.

Sakura screamed in pain as a cracking noise sounded from her wrist, and it was nothing short of a miracle that her kunai didn't let loose from her grip. A second later her hand was let go, and Sakura just stood there, cradling her wrist with tears in her eyes.

She only had a second's reprieve before she was whirled around to face Fugimoto, who was grinning like a cat.

"Now I've got you," the jounin purred, "honestly I do prefer it being physical like this. Watching people burn to death is all well and fun, but it doesn't quite beat the drawn out screams, wouldn't you say so? I'm so ever glad that you decided to rush out like a good little Konoha nin; now I won't have to deal with your dangerous traps."

Sakura fought down her tears, not wanting to cry in front of this sick female. She screwed her face up in a determined expression, trying to think of how Naruto or Sasuke would act like at a time like this. They certainly wouldn't notice the pain. No, they'd have a witty remark, like…

"You're disgusting," Sakura spat, "it's because of you that kunoichi have a bad name."

The woman's eyes widened, and then they hardened. Sakura hardly even saw the movement, but the next moment she was on the ground, her cheek stinging. She tasted blood on her lips, and she realized that Fugimoto must have slapped her strongly enough to send her to the ground.

"No," Fugimoto said, for the first time sounding something other than utterly insane. "It's because of people like _you_ that kunoichi have a bad name. Honestly, I think I would have a harder time with an Academy student."

Sakura held a hand to her cheek, and turned to look up at the chuunin. And then, she grinned. "Oh really? That's funny, because you've just fallen into my trap."

"What are you—"

Just then, chains sprang up from the ground. Before Fugimoto could even move a muscle they had wrapped around her, stopping all her movements.

Fugimoto had a satisfyingly shocked expression on her face, "This is…"

"A seal," Sakura breathed, sitting up. Her hand was still on her cheek, because the stinging wouldn't stop, but she thought she had the advantage here. "My teammate made it actually, though when I asked to see it I never thought I'd be using it for an operation like this. Tenten here knows how to operate seals, and I happen to have photographic memory. Convenient, isn't it?"

They had first drawn the seal when they arrived inside the warehouse, and then broken the things inside the boxes as camouflage. The broken plates covered the lines for the seal well enough, but they didn't disrupt the seal's function.

Sakura had added other traps in later to further camouflage their real plans, and the rest of the time Tenten had spent teaching Sakura how to activate the complicated trap. They had managed to make it work, somehow.

Seeing as this thing even held against Baruna, Sakura thought it would also work against the chuunin.

However, this was only part one of her plan.

Sakura looked towards Tenten, who had her scrolls spread out already. Her hands were moving through jutsus at a rapid rate, her brow beaded in concentration. She had obviously started as soon as the chains emerged from the ground.

"And then girl?" Fugimoto asked lightly, "What is she doing?"

"A jutsu that will finish you off," Sakura grinned.

Tenten muttered something under her breath, and suddenly spare kunai from her pockets and weapons pouch did the same, forming a semi circle of weapons around her. Light ignited from the steel and wreathed her in a halo of flickering blue flames.

"Sakura," Tenten said tersely, "get out of there."

"Alright," Sakura chirped, and made to move towards Tenten.

Only to find out that she couldn't.

She saw Tenten's eyes widen in horror before she felt it. A taunting pull on her skull, a sharp pain in her head.

Her breath coming in short gasps, Sakura scanned the room for a broken plate, and looked into the reflection. Fugimoto had her hair in her grasp, a cruel smile stretched across her lips. Sakura was still on her knees, not able to move from her spot because of the tight grip Fugimoto had on her. If she tried to fight back, she might inevitably end up freeing the chuunin.

Oh… _no_.

"Well?" Fugimoto smiled, "Are you going to complete that jutsu?"

Tenten hesitated.

The flaming kunai behind her began to flicker, and Sakura knew that as soon as they were out, Fugimoto would be upon both of them. That jutsu had been their last chance, and they had failed miserably. No, Sakura had failed miserably.

Tenten had played her part perfectly, despite carrying a crippling wound. It was Sakura who got overconfident and had underestimated the severity of the situation; it was Sakura who thought that as long as she had smarts, she didn't need the skills. She should have gotten out of there as soon as possible, instead of gloating to Fugimoto.

One spot of flames disappeared, and with a clack the kunai holding onto the element fell to the ground. The jutsu was nearing its end.

She and Tenten were going to die…

_No!_

She could not let it end like this!

Sasuke and Naruto, they were always protecting her, while she was only holding them back. It had been like that for the genin exam, had been like that for the fight against Baruna. Well, no longer. Sakura was not going to be the one to drag down Team Seven. She stretched her out her right arm, the one holding the kunai still—

Fugimoto laughed, "What do you think you're doing? I can sense your chakra; you're not nearly powerful enough or flexible enough to do anything with tha-"

—and sliced through her hair.

She didn't wait to see Fugimoto's astonished expression. Sakura instantly rolled out of the way, and Tenten let out a cry of victory. She landed on her elbows and felt heat brush her cheeks, and looked up in time to see a dozen flaming kunai hit the place where she had just been—the place where Fugimoto still was. There was something of an explosion, and Sakura had to cover her face quickly to avoid being blinded by flying shrapnel.

It was only when everything died down that Sakura felt safe enough to lower her hands. Where Fugimoto used to be there was now only billows of smoke, and Sakura was sure that if she looked inside, she'd find the red haired woman's corpse. There was no way she could have survived the attack.

That meant…

That meant that she and Tenten had done it.

They were alive.

Sakura felt a sob escape her throat, though she hadn't even realized she was holding one. They were alive. They were alive! Despite the numerous setbacks and her own stupidity, they had managed to get that one attack on Fugimoto. They had survived an encounter with the crazy Iwa nin and they had made it out okay. Wounded, exhausted, but okay. Could she have asked for a better outcome?

She looked towards Tenten, only to find the girl out cold. But that was expected. After all, Tenten had used up a lot of her chakra for that jutsu, and she had already been wounded. Tenten really was amazing, to pull all that off and with a grave wound to boot. But they had done it. They had done the impossible and—

There was a rumble form within the smoke.

Sakura felt ice flood her veins. _No_.

But no amount of pleading and denial could change the facts. Fugimoto emerged from the devastation, her clothes torn and her eyes wild. She had survived. Just barely—but survived nevertheless.

They had done nothing after all.

"You. Little. Bitch." Fugimoto snarled, stalking towards Sakura. Sakura could only lie there helplessly, too weak to do anything else. It was all over, all of it. Her final effort had amounted to nothing, and they were going to die. Fugimoto looked as if the goddess of vengeance herself had visited her, and Sakura knew that the Iwa nin was not going to let them go. Somehow, the chuunin had survived, and as the last one standing, it was she who now had the power to dictate the rules. They had not been able to do it after all. Their efforts had been useless. Sakura closed her eyes, not wanting the missing nin to see her tears.

And then, she heard a strange, gurgling sound.

Her eyes snapped open, just in time to see Fugimoto fall to the ground, a kunai sticking out of her throat. What…?

"Ah," a familiar voice sounded in the warehouse, making Sakura sag in relief as she recognized who it was, "I would have thought that she'd put up more of a fight. I wonder…"

She did not hear the sound of footfalls, but in the next instant she was being turned over gently, warm hands pressed against her back. She blinked blearily at the newcomer. It was Kakashi-sensei. He looked a little worse for wear; torn clothing and scratches littered all along his body, but he was smiling. They were safe now.

Or at least, she was.

"Tenten," she gasped out.

"I'll get to it," he promised, "Remember Sakura-chan, we have a first-rate medic on our team. I've already looked at her; Tenten will be fine. So for now, you rest. I don't want a member of my team suffering from too much exhaustion."

The pink haired girl nodded in relief, and finally allowed for her eyes to flicker closed. Darkness was creeping up on her, threatening to take her now that she was not fighting it back. And she did not want to fight it back.

"Oh and Sakura?" The voice was above her now— had Kakashi-sensei stood up? There was a pleased, almost proud note in his voice. "You've done good."

* * *

Lee was fast. As fast as him and Naruto, he'd imagine. Good. That meant that Lee would not impede him.

Sasuke nodded, about to join in when he noticed something odd about his vision. He was seeing doubles.

The dark haired boy blinked, and blinked again. The odd vision did not go away. Afterimages of Lee and the Grass nin trailed after them, making their movements blurry and hard to make out.

And then, he realized something.

It was not afterimages he was seeing.

In spite of himself, Sasuke gasped. He quickly looked around for a source of reflection, but found none. Inwardly he cursed, but he decided not to dwell on it. It would be pure vanity to do so and leave Lee in danger. Sasuke would have to operate as if what he thought was true.

His Sharingan had advanced.

His heart raced. He had heard about the Sharingan's second stage from many elder Uchiha. Whether they were hoping to get in the good books of his father by helping out the heir to the head of the clan, or whether they truly did not want him to be blindsided when it happened, Sasuke didn't know. He was never more grateful for the favouritism though.

He was not seeing afterimages; he was seeing the movements of the two before they even decided on what they would do. The Sharingan was processing the muscle contractions of his fellow ninja at an unheard of rate and converting that into images of their future states.

To have gotten such ability right during a battle with a jounin was amazing luck.

Sasuke grinned.

The dark haired boy took a minute to access the situation. Lee and the Grass nin had already started a taijutsu battle, but it was obvious by the movements and the amused gleam in the Grass nin's eyes that he was just playing with them. Well, Sasuke would have to change that.

He took a breath, and folded his hands together in a familiar pattern. The movement was so regular to him that it was almost homely, Sasuke couldn't help but think as he gathered as much air into his lungs as he could and then _blew_.

A large plume of fire erupted from Sasuke's mouth, directed towards where the Grass nin would be in a few seconds' time.

Even in the midst of battle, Sasuke couldn't help but dwell on the implications of what he had just did and what that meant.

There was no turning back any longer. The Grass nin would not save Naruto and the rest after this. Sasuke had just sealed their fate.

The Grass nin's eyes widened as suddenly, a huge fireball appeared in front of him, engulfing his form.

"Yosh!" Lee exclaimed, landing beside Sasuke with a big thumbs up, "That was a most youthful entrance."

Sasuke's eyes didn't leave the area that his jutsu had struck. While it looked to be a direct hit, he did remember that this was a jounin that they were dealing with, and jounins did not go down so easily.

The smoke cleared, and the ninja was nowhere in sight.

Sasuke tensed, and his head jerked up, picking up a movement along the brambles a few meters above the area of impact. Sure enough, the Grass nin was there, standing atop a tree branch with hooded eyes.

"Well truthfully, I could have used that moment to leave," the Grass nin said, something of a cross between anger and amusement in his voice, "but it looks like you guys really want to be tested, huh?"

Sasuke clenched his fists. Lee had been right. This guy was the enemy.

It didn't matter what the Grass nin had offered at first, because now it was obvious that push come to shove the Grass nin had his own interests at the forefront. Even if Naruto were saved by the missing nin, the blond would never forgive Sasuke for letting such a ninja preserve his life.

Sasuke's hands worked. He wasn't one to continue with small talk after a fight was started. "Fire Release: Phoenix Sage!"

Twelve balls of fire dotted around him, and then without warning, went flying towards the enemy nin. They were controlled by his chakra, and with his newly evolved Sharingan, he could direct them to the perfect places.

A confident grin spread across Sasuke's face. There was no way that even a jounin could evade all of them, not with Sasuke's bloodline limit helping him.

The jounin dodged this way and that, but Sasuke's directions to his flames were always one step ahead. In a way after all, Sasuke was able to see the future. He was going to win!

And then, suddenly, the images of the jounin increased to a level that Sasuke had never seen before. Sasuke's eyes widened as his fireballs hit the ground uselessly, extinguishing themselves and completely missing their target.

It took him a moment to realize what had happened. The jounin had just exponentially increased his speed, and Sasuke's control over his chakra could not keep up with that.

The Grass nin didn't give Sasuke much time to think about it. Suddenly the man appeared before him, aiming a kick at his mid section. Sasuke tried to dodge, but his body wouldn't respond in time, and before he knew it he was flying backwards, slamming against a tree.

Sasuke groaned as he slid down the bark, landing on his knees. Even though he had seen the attack coming, there had been nothing he could do about it. He had just found one of the down sides to the Sharingan.

A moment later Lee slammed into the tree next to him, also sliding to the ground. Unlike Sasuke however, the older boy landed on his feet, his eyes still trained on the Grass nin.

"Hm, not bad," the Grass nin said languidly, standing lazily twenty meters across from them. He had his hands in his pockets, and an infuriating smug tone in his voice, "You actually forced me to use some of my real power."

Sasuke snarled, getting ready to charge again when suddenly, his companion's voice interrupted him.

"You are my comrade, yes?" Lee asked, his posture halfway in a crouch and an unusually serious expression on his face.

"What kind of question is that?" Sasuke growled in reply. Couldn't Lee see that did not have time for friendship speeches at the moment? "_Yes_."

Suddenly, a bright grin spread across the older Konoha nin's face. "Good."

And then, Lee loosened something around his wrist and ankles, and little steel weights came crashing down to the ground.

Yes, crashing down.

Sasuke's eyes grew as wide as saucers as the little things made craters at Lee's feet. His mouth dropped open despite himself, "What…?"

Lee didn't answer. The green clad boy shot off towards the jounin, at a speed that Sasuke hadn't known was possible for someone that wasn't at his Aniki's level. The Grass nin seemed surprised too, if Sasuke read the slight widening of his eyes correctly.

Still, a ninja had to always be prepared for surprises, and the jounin reacted accordingly to Lee's sudden increase in speed. Moving at what would have looked like blurs to Sasuke's normal eyes, the Grass nin leapt off his perch, barely avoiding Lee's kick which snapped the large branch in half. Lee immediately kicked off the tree trunk, shooting off to where the Grass nin had jumped, and the tree groaned in his wake.

By this point Sasuke had finally gotten past his shock at his fellow ninja's speed. After all, ninjas were supposed to expect the unexpected, and the fact that the crazy fourteen year old wearing green tights seemed to be a match for a jounin was not nearly as insane as some of the stunts that Naruto had pulled before.

Of course, it was still a bitter pill to swallow, the fact that someone was still better than Sasuke even with his Sharingan as it was. Nevertheless, he knew when to be appreciative of hidden powers, especially when it was on his side.

Sasuke took a breath, bringing up his hands and getting ready to fire off another jutsu again. By now he had gotten used to the speed that the other two moved at, and he thought he could calculate the perfect place to place his attacks so that it would hit the enemy ninja.

The dark haired boy muttered a few words under his breath, and a bolt of lightning raced towards where the Grass nin was soon to be.

Lee cried out in surprise as the jutsu moved past him, but Sasuke knew that the green clad boy would not be anything but slightly shocked. His movements didn't allow for anything else.

Although Sasuke didn't like to admit it, he had to say that the Sharingan's full potential was brought out when battling in a team. It allowed for the perfect ambushes, as it could read the positions of both the enemy and his teammate at the time that any attack would hit.

Sasuke grinned as his bolt struck true, hitting the Grass nin dead center and making him fly backwards with the force of the strike. The Grass nin hit a tree with a sickening crack before sliding back to the floor again, his body burnt from the lightning.

The dark haired boy nearly cooed in victory, especially when Lee shot him an impressed look, but it looked like the missing nin wasn't done yet.

The Grass nin staggered to his feet, hissing as he held an arm to his side. He had a light smile on his face, but it was tinged with sadness, "You two… if I don't get serious, I might actually get killed." Here, he nodded towards Lee, "It was nice having a pure taijutsu match with you. If neither of us dies here today, we must do it again some time. As it is, I'm afraid my client's wish comes first."

And with that, he _moved_.

Sasuke's eyes widened, wondering how in the world the other man could move after a hit like that. The scion of the Uchiha had timed it perfectly, and getting hit by a C-class jutsu dead on was no joking matter.

Lee tensed, getting ready for another hand to hand confrontation no doubt, but they weren't what the Grass nin was aiming for. He moved away, out of range, leaving Lee and Sasuke confused for a split second before their eyes widened, realizing what he was about to do.

The Grass nin landed on a tree branch in the distance, his arms spread out before him, "Fire Release: Firestorm!"

Red and orange lighted the skies, flames roaring their triumph as they were released to feast their way through the woods. The air cackled, the sounds of branches snapping and leaves sizzling drowning out the movements of the other ninja. Heat licked the faces of everyone present, and whatever animals that had remained ran from their shelters, their little voices reduced to screeches of pure fright.

Sasuke held back the rage that was bubbling up within him, and swallowed the bile that rose in his throat. The use of that particular jutsu was not only tactically advantageous, but Sasuke knew from the personality of the Grass nin that it had a metaphorical meaning as well.

Sasuke had used three C-class jutsus against the man so far, two of which had been based on fire. The Grass nin had just used an A-class one. It was an obvious slight towards Konoha, and a reminder to Sasuke that there was always someone better than him. The careless destruction to the forest that the flames would cause was also a message: if you play with fire, you'll get burned.

Smoke arose from the surrounding areas, covering the landscape in a thick cloud of grey. The Grass nin could have used this opportunity to escape and Konoha would have been none the wiser, but Sasuke no longer wanted the man to.

Sasuke semi-closed his eyes, reaching out his sense, and trying to make out the shapes of Lee's and the Grass nin's chakra. It took him only the barest of moments, and then he felt a signature flicker to life. It was small, like that of a civilian's, and he might not have felt it if not for the fact that they were isolated out here in the woods.

The dark haired boy frowned, wondering how such a signature could possibly exist, especially when it was moving at such quick speeds.

And then, he felt the other signature. That one was definitely the level of a ninja's. It was also moving at incredibly high speeds, circling the other civilian one. If it wasn't obvious before, there was no doubt now that the two were the Grass nin and Lee, still fighting despite the smoke.

However, the civilian signature seemed to be only reacting to the normal one, meaning that the one with the normal signature knew where the other was. Sasuke gritted his teeth, running towards the general area, his mind racing at the implications.

The Grass nin had said that he was some sort of sensor, which meant that even with the smoke he would be able to tell where Sasuke and Lee were. Then, the fire wasn't just a taunt, but a great strategy too. Unfortunately, he didn't know that Sasuke could do the sensing thing too.

However, if the normal signature acted like it knew where the civilian one was, then that meant that the normal one was the Grass nin, and Lee for some reason felt like he had no chakra. Was it a bloodline limit? Sasuke had no idea what was going on, and that was bad, because it was especially this type of information that could turn the tide in a battle.

Just then, he felt the normal signature shift directions, sudden moving towards… Sasuke.

The dark haired boy's eyes widened, and he made to quickly change the direction of his charge, but he was much too late. He felt something hard slam into his gut, sending him flying backwards. Sasuke's back hit a tree, dispelling the smoke around him for a moment with the force of the impact. His back screamed in pain as the dark haired boy slid to the ground, groaning softly.

He didn't have time to nurse his wounds however, because suddenly a slew of kunai came flying towards him, forcing Sasuke to roll to the right to avoid them. One still sliced through the skin of his upper arm, leaving a small trail of blood in its wake.

Sasuke's eyes widened as his Sharingan caught the Grass nin coming straight towards him out of the smoke, its arms cocked back in a punch. Calculating where the hit would land, Sasuke moved to avoid it, but even then his body was too slow.

The missing nin only managed to skim Sasuke's hip, but the force of the hit was still enough to make Sasuke cry out. The dark haired boy went spinning to the ground, and the Grass nin was on top of him in an instant, before Sasuke could force his body to react.

And just then, a green clad figure came bursting out of the smoke, leg extended in a powerful kick. The Grass nin's eyes widened, and he jumped off of Sasuke, managing to dodge at the last second.

Lee had come to the rescue, occupying the Grass nin once again in hand-to-hand combat. Again, they were even, allowing Sasuke the precious time to push himself back up. He glared at the jounin, ready to help Lee again when the Grass nin suddenly grinned, escaping the last of Lee's attacks and leaping back into the smoke.

"That was most unyouthful!" The green clad boy cried, rushing back into the fray, his form once again disappearing.

Sasuke frowned, and made to go after them, when with a start, he realized that he no longer knew where the Grass nin was.

Sasuke felt his fists clench as he realized that he had unwittingly let go of his concentration in seeking out chakra signatures when the first hit hand landed. Sasuke took a breath, and once again felt around for the familiar warm auras of chakra.

He found the Grass nin and Lee soon enough. Lee was faltering, his earlier advantage in the taijutsu fight lost as he obviously struggled to figure out where the Grass nin was amidst the smoke. It was the worst type of situation to fight in. The smoke obscured vision, the crackling fire drowned out the faint sounds of rustling cloth, and the putrid smell of fire made all other sense ineffectual.

Sasuke put his hands together in the formation of seals that was not familiar to his fingers, but all too familiar to his eyes. He twisted towards the direction of the chakra signatures, and drew in a deep breath, "Wind Release: Great Breakthrough!"

A huge current of air gushed out from his mouth, and while it was not nearly as big as the ones that Naruto could make, Sasuke thought it to be sufficient. The flames that were dying out suddenly flickered with a new life, fed by the complementary jutsu. That wasn't what mattered, however.

Smoke dispersed as Sasuke's jutsu blew through it, leaving the radius up to Lee's fight completely clear. The green clad nin's eyes only widened slightly in delight before a huge grin spread across his face, and when the genin had a momentary break, he sent a quick thumbs up in Sasuke's direction.

The Grass nin was equally as surprised, sparing a Look at Sasuke before Lee demanded his full attention again. Sasuke only smiled grimly. Now that he could see, his Sharingan was working at full capacity again, and now he could finally be as of help in this high speed fight.

Once again, Sasuke leapt towards the interlocked nins, expect this time he was confident that he was not going to get hit.

Unfortunately, the Grass nin seemed to also know when he was at a disadvantage, because he suddenly made a noise and pulled away from Lee, jumping back into the smoke covered areas. Lee leapt after him.

"Wait, Lee!" The dark haired boy called out, but he was too late already.

Sasuke let out a low growl as he paused, half closing his eyes as he tried to find both people's signatures again. Didn't Lee see it was pure foolishness to go back into the smoke where there was an obvious disadvantage to them? Or did Lee expect him to perform a wind jutsu again?

The Uchiha heir let out a soft sigh. He'd already done four jutsus today, and while he was up for a bit more, he could feel the energy draining from him, especially with his newly transformed Sharingan active. He was tired, and he wasn't sure how much longer he could keep on going for. His taijutsu was completely outmatched so he couldn't even resort to that to conserve stamina, and Sasuke was worried about what would happen if they didn't conclude this battle soon.

And just then, Lee was thrown out of the covered area, tendrils of darkened smoke trailing after his body as he was flew roughly back into Sasuke's clearing. Just before he touched the ground in what would have been a painful landing however, Lee seemed to wake up, twisting his body and touching the grass with his palms, flipping himself back to his feet, "Ha!"

Gai's student got into a ready position, no doubt aiming to jump back into the fray.

"Lee," Sasuke called out, not wanting to waste another opportunity. The green clad boy thankfully paused, and Sasuke quickened to his side, lowering his voice so that the Grass nin wouldn't hear, "Don't go back into the smoke. Wait for him to come out."

Lee's lips thinned, and for a moment Sasuke was afraid that the other boy wouldn't obey out of pride. Sasuke certainly knew that if he were in the older genin's shoes, he'd never listen to someone younger than him when it was clear that he was stronger.

And then, Lee just nodded, seeming to trust Sasuke's judgment as he gave a large wink, "Yosh! I shall apply what you have learned from your espionage!"

Sasuke felt his eyelid twitch, but decided to accept it nonetheless. The only reason he was letting go of the green clad boy's behaviour was because Gai's student was so strong. If everyone was a little strange when they were strong, Sasuke could accept this.

And just then, Sasuke felt a buildup of chakra from the direction Lee had just been thrown out of, and he realized his mistake.

"Jump back!" Sasuke cried out, just as a plume of fire came rushing towards them. Gritting his teeth, Sasuke leapt backwards, hoping that it'd buy him some time as he hastened through his seals, "Earth Release: Rising Wall!"

He slammed his hands onto the ground, erecting an earthy pillar just in time to block the flames. Fire rushed past the two of them on either sides of his shield, scorching the shrubbery which had not already been destroyed by the earlier fire.

Sasuke had made a terrible, terrible mistake. While he had been right about the fact that he and Lee would fight better in a place that was not disrupted by smoke, he had somehow forgotten that their enemy was not only limited to taijutsu as Lee seemed to be. Along with the Grass nin's speed, he also possessed the ability to perform high level jutsu, and Sasuke had just stupidly given him enough time to carry one out.

The thirteen year old felt sweat dot his forehead as the fire raged on, and his earth shield threatened to collapse. And yet, he held on, until finally, the flames died and with a gasp of relief, Sasuke finally allowed his shield to crumple.

"So you're a sensor too," came the Grass nin's disembodied voice from the direction of his chakra, but that chakra too, was in constant motion, not allowing Sasuke to get an accurate lock on it. "Unfortunately, you're still a few years too early to try and match me."

Sasuke gritted his teeth, hating the judgment that was brought down upon him. He shakily got to his feet, but his breath was short and his strength felt cut. Performing two C-class jutsus that were not his affinity had taken a lot out of him. The first had not been too bad, but he had poured a lot of his chakra into the earth jutsu in able to combat the Grass nin's fire attack. Despite the adrenaline thrumming through his veins, he felt drained. As much as he would have liked to put the Grass nin in his place, he just wasn't sure if he was capable of it at the moment.

"Lee," Sasuke said, his voice low as his eyes flickered to where he sensed the chakra, ready to use another jutsu to defend at a moment's notice. "Go after him."

The green clad boy had gotten his feet too, although Sasuke hadn't seen when. However, Lee wasn't leaving. His voice unusually serious, he followed Sasuke's eye movements, as if trying to keep up with the Grass nin as well. "Can you make that big wind again, Sasuke-kun?"

Sasuke felt a faint frown trace across his lips. He didn't know if Lee was under the impression that he was made of infinite chakra, because he was not, but if Lee was thinking of a one-hit KO, then Sasuke might be able to oblige him. "Only once."

Lee nodded in reply, "Once is enough."

And then Lee leapt towards the place where Sasuke had been following the Grass nin, not caring for whatever jutsus the Grass nin might have up his sleeve as he once again disappeared into the smoke. Sasuke silently swore at the lack of warning, but all his training with Naruto hadn't been for naught, and Sasuke immediately followed up Lee's actions with his seals, "Wind Release: Great Breakthrough!"

The torrent of air cleared the smoke just in time for Sasuke to see Lee cry out, driven back by a wind jutsu. Fortunately, it seemed to be a low class one, and Lee immediately got to his feet, ready to fight again.

The Grass nin only shook his head in disappointment, making for the smoke covered areas again, but Lee had learned from last time, and did not let him. With a war cry, the green clad boy dashed towards the Grass nin, somehow moving even faster than before. Sasuke felt his eyes widen in surprise, and saw the Grass nin's eyes do the same. Lee didn't give them anymore time for a reaction however, because he was suddenly on the Grass nin, kicking him up high into the sky and wrapping his bandages around him like it was some sort of twisted game of making mummy.

And then, Lee dropped him. Or, more accurately, threw him to the ground again. They landed with a crash, sending up a haze of sand.

When the sand cleared slightly, all Sasuke could make out was one lone dark figure standing where the two had landed. He tensed. As much as he would have liked to think it was Lee, they were going against a jounin, and there was a very good chance that it wasn't.

And then, Lee emerged from the sand, wiping his nose with a grin, "That was the Extreme Lotus. Gai-sensei taught it to me. Wasn't it so coo—"

And then, from his right, a great gust of wind came, making Lee cry out with surprise and sending him flying through the air. Sasuke's eye widened, and he quickly followed the jutsu to its source, dread already pooling in his belly because really, there could only be one explanation for the attack.

"I heard what you said back there," the Grass nin said, "and it was obvious that Mr. Taijutsu Expert here was preparing for a finishing move. Normally I wouldn't have worried, but you guys aren't normal genins, are you?"

Lee had hit a tree, but unlike before, he had not spun and flipped himself up to null the damage and get ready for battle again. Instead, he was doing nothing but kneel there, his head bowed and his teeth gritted.

"Hm, I purposefully sent out a wide-range jutsu because I was certain that you would dodge. But… you didn't avoid it?" And then, the Grass nin's eyes sharpened, "Or was it, that you couldn't avoid it?"

Lee gritted his teeth, only able to clutch his arm and glare at the Grass nin in response.

Sasuke's eyes widened. While Aniki had never taught them any forbidden techniques, he'd certainly read about them, and their horrifying consequences.

"Then, it's time to finish this."

Spinning red eyes widened. He saw the handseals that the Grass nin was going through before the jounin even completed them. He saw where the Grass nin was aiming. He saw Lee struggling to get up with a groan, and with the Grass nin's implications all too clear, he knew Lee would not be able to get away in time.

Sasuke started running, even while knowing that his body would seem as if it were in slow motion compared to the other two. Nevertheless, it was faster than him trying to go through a jutsu.

The Grass nin unleashed a torrent of wind at Gai's student, and Lee's eyes barely had time to widen as he felt the air around him shift. The green clad boy looked up, his mouth dropping open at the deadly wind blades, knowing that he couldn't avoid them in his condition.

And then, Sasuke appeared in front of him, arms spread wide to protect the other boy from the worst of it. The winds ripped into Sasuke's flesh, tearing whatever they could find and ripping his body into an almost unrecognizable mess. Finally, the onslaught ended, and Sasuke fell forwards, landing on his knees as he took deep breaths.

It was hard to breath, Sasuke noted, and every breath hurt. A sudden wave of dizziness hit him and Sasuke nearly fell forwards, almost unable to support his own weight in any sense. He felt his Sharingan bleed away, no longer able to hold its form due to the intense energy depletion Sasuke was suffering from.

"Sasuke, you—you—" Lee started, his voice shocked and shaking. He didn't sound anything like the confident genin from before, who had dared to ask Sasuke if he were Lee's comrade, as if that were the only thing stopping Gai's student from winning.

Dimly Sasuke was aware that he was bleeding. Bleeding from a lot of places. His blood washed across his body and dripped to the ground, colouring him red and mixing with the earth to make a muddy cauldron. He felt like breaking out into laughter, but he knew that would just unnerve his green clad partner.

"Wh—why?" Lee gasped out, tears forming in his eyes.

Sasuke closed his eyes. As much as he hated to admit this, it was only the truth. His Sharingan had seen it better than anyone. "You're the one that stands a chance against him, not I. Lee… you'd better not waste this."

And then, Sasuke collapsed.

Lee sat there for a moment, unmoving, and then, he stood, fire burning brightly in his eyes. "Yosh! I won't let you down, Sasuke. Second Gate: Open!"

Sasuke twitched as he felt an unbelievable amount of chakra build up within Lee.

Just… just what was this? Was this the reason that he could feel no chakra from the taijutsu expert earlier? Was it because Lee had been hiding away all his chakra for this moment?

"Third Gate: Open!"

The Grass nin's voice suddenly resonated through the woods, disbelief colouring his voice. For the first time, there was a hint of panic in his voice, "No way, there's no way that you could…"

"Forth Gate… Open!"

Sasuke groaned, and forced his head upwards, despite the indescribable amount of pain that it put him through. He felt an obligation to see this battle through and not just past out in the middle of it all.

And then, Lee shot off towards the Grass nin. Or at least, Sasuke assumed that he shot off.

One moment, the green clad ninja was right there, still behind Sasuke, and the next, he was gone.

From the widening of the Grass nin's eyes, the jounin felt the same. The Grass nin moved to the left, dodging just in time to avoid a powerful crash that sent a tree buckling. All that could really be seen was a poof of white from the impact of what was obviously a hit, and then the tree went crashing down.

If Sasuke were anyone else, his mouth might have dropped open. As it was, all he did was give a pained smirk. He had known that he'd chosen right to conserve Lee.

The Grass nin narrowed his eyes, his right hand positioning itself in an 'open' seal. And then, quite suddenly, he reached out, grabbing onto what seemed like thin air, except that it was really a leg, and the grab stopped Lee's motion for a moment and finally allowing Sasuke to see the figure of his partner.

Lee immediately followed up with another kick with his other leg, forcing the Grass nin to let go as he jumped back to avoid the powerful impact. The two blurred again, and disappeared from sight, only the sounds of their limbs clashing against each other reaching Sasuke.

Sasuke gritted his teeth, and rolled to his back. He knew that he'd be of no use in this fight, so the least he could do was make sure he didn't die. Ignoring the flares of pain in his arms and the cry of his body for him to simply sleep and rest, Sasuke reached into his inner pockets, bringing out a thin slip of paper that Naruto had crafted for him.

Unlike the rest of his clothing, it wasn't covered with blood. Naruto had written a seal on it that would make it repellant to anything, and Sasuke was never gladder for it than now. Bringing the paper to his face, he bit his lip and forced himself to place his thumb on the big black seal situated in the middle of the paper. And then, he sent his chakra towards it, biting back a scream of pain as his body protested about the move.

The paper let out a thin glow, and then, rolls upon rolls of bandages appeared from the seal, nearly smothering Sasuke in the process. Sasuke gritted his teeth, and forced himself up, surfacing from the mess.

Liquid fire seemed to burn through his legs as Sasuke scooted to the nearby tree with his bandages and leaned against it, the contact of the grass brushing against open wounds sending flares of tickling pain through his body. He took a few second to take a few heavy breaths, hoping to abate the spots in his vision before it threatened to darken.

When he felt as ready as he could be, Sasuke got to work.

Aniki had taught them the basics to first aid long ago, and that was what Sasuke set about doing. It was hard tying up the bandages tightly, but Sasuke was not someone who would back down at pain. He knew that he had to endure a little discomfort if he didn't want to die from blood loss, which as Naruto would put it, would be a lame way to go.

Honestly Sasuke would have preferred not to get out the seal that Aniki and Naruto had given him, because it would be a pain to make another one, and he'd planned on saving it for something that was not a C-class mission. Still, he couldn't very well use his shirt, which now resembled a wet towel more than anything from all the blood that it had absorbed.

When he was just about done, he heard something that made his head snap up, and then instantly regret it as another wave of dizziness almost made him topple over.

There was a sudden whoosh of air, as turbulent as a rampaging tornado. And then, five trees went down, a hole shooting through them all before the figure was finally stopped by a sixth tree, the momentum from the throw having finally been dispersed. The figure slid to the ground, landing in a crouch, and it took a moment for Sasuke to realize that it was Lee.

Sasuke's eyes widened in surprise. His fellow Konoha nin hardly looked human anymore. There were veins bulging dangerously from the parts of his body that were not covered, and his skin was glowing a deep russet red, as if his body was lit with some sort of demonic inner fire. The look on his face was fierce, and there was something there that told Sasuke that Lee had forgotten about him all together.

Lee let out a primeval scream, standing again and roaring to the heavens. He had obviously not accepted the Grass nin's hit on him, and he was going to show the missing nin that Gai's students were not to be taken lightly, "Fifth Gate: Open!"

And then, he was gone.

The Grass nin barely had time to react before he went flying into the air, a his features just morphing into one of surprise and then, dawning horror. When he reached the climax, suddenly Lee appeared before him, and then, the two disappeared.

A moment later the ground directly beneath the Grass nin exploded in a shower of rocks and gravel, creating a small crater where the ninja had to have landed. If the smoke had been bad before, it was still nowhere near the dust storm Lee had created with his move.

There were no sounds as the dust slowly moved to settle, no movements from within the crater. Sasuke felt his heart give a beat. Why had Lee not emerged yet?

The dark haired boy gritted his teeth, and forced himself to his feet. He staggered over to the crater, trying his best to ignore the stabs of pain his barely bandaged legs were giving him.

Lee had better not have used some forbidden move that took away his life. Lee had better just have been so caught up in his triumph that he simply decided to take a nap. Lee had Better. Still. Be. Alive.

He stopped at the crater's edge, taking deep breaths to steady himself as he looked within the ruins. Lee was there, lying belly first against the carcass of the ground, his skin having turned back to its regular colour and his clothing torn from his heavy fighting. He almost looked as if he were sleeping, his head was turned to the side so that he could still breathe. That is, if he were breathing.

The Grass nin was there too, barely a few feet away from Lee, but Sasuke hardly cared whether he was breathing or not. The point was, he wasn't getting back up.

Sasuke took a step forward, wanting to make sure of Lee's condition, when suddenly he felt his strength leave him. His legs collapsed beneath him, no longer able to support his weight as the last remnants of his non-existent strength bade him goodbye.

Sasuke gasped, squeezing his eyes shut as he toppled forwards, already anticipating the painful collision with the bottom of the crater. And then, a pair of warm arms wrapped around his middle, pulling him back up.

He winced a little as his wounds sent stinging needles through his body at the casual contact, but whoever held him knew what they were doing, and didn't aggravate the wounds more than necessary.

"You've… really gone overboard," an all too familiar voice whispered in his ears. The voice was meant to be joking but coming out as rather choked instead.

Sasuke's eyes snapped open, a startled gasp escaping his lips. No, it couldn't be. Slowly, he turned around, his eyes almost tearing up at the sight of shocking blond hair and the pair of warm golden eyes. Aniki.

The dark haired boy felt himself relax. If it was Aniki, then everything would be alright.

Aniki took a step backward, helping Sasuke steady himself as the blond glanced around, obviously assessing the situation.

Sasuke finally allowed himself to sit down, not minding showing weakness in front of Aniki. The dark haired boy followed Aniki's gaze, knowing what needed to do, but still missing the warmth of his arms nonetheless.

Aniki finally let out a deep breath, putting his hands together in unfamiliar seals, and closing his eyes. Mist suddenly appeared from nowhere, and a light drizzle started in the section of forest, dampening the small pockets of fire still present. Sasuke shivered at the noticeable decrease in heat, finally realizing that in the midst of all the fighting, they had forgotten to attend to one simple problem.

And then, Aniki opened his eyes, his golden orbs weary. Sasuke felt his chest tighten again. Now that he thought about it, Aniki had never required a handseal to create mist, so the reason he had done it now, and so slowly that even Sasuke could follow it, could only be because he had no other choice.

Aniki was running low on chakra, and that was why he was making all these preparations.

Despite Aniki already being tired, he was still the one making sure that others were not suffering. Once again, Aniki was sacrificing himself for others.

The dark haired boy turned his head away, snorting. He really did mean to sound sarcastic, but found that like Aniki, his own voice was rather shaky as well, "I've gone overboard? Like you're much better."

Indeed, Aniki looked worse than Sasuke had ever seen him. His braid had come loose, and was slapped back in a haphazard ponytail that was smeared with blood. Now that Aniki had stepped back, Sasuke could see that he was favouring his left leg, and there was a huge burn on his left exposed arm. There were numerous scratches all along Aniki's body, face included, although surprisingly his clothes were still intact. Well, expect for the missing sleeve of course.

"Are you trying to be cool or something?" Sasuke asked, feeling his throat lump, "Because repairing your clothes with Alchemy won't make us think that you got away from your battle unscathed."

It was so like Aniki, to try and hide all possible injuries from them to prevent them from worrying about him. Sasuke felt a wave of bitterness rise up within him. Didn't Aniki realize that it was only hurting them more, making them worry more?

Even Aniki… even Aniki had been hurt so much.

Aniki let out a laugh, ruffling Sasuke's hair fondly which would have annoyed Sasuke at any other time, but only made him relieved now.

"You always were the difficult one," Aniki said with a shake of his head, before sliding down the crater and landing beside Lee.

"He's not… he's not dead, is he?" Sasuke asked hesitantly.

Aniki shook his head, and then took a kneeling position, his eyebrows furrowing, "No, he's not dead. But he's... in critical condition."

Sasuke let out a sigh of relief as Aniki started muttering to himself about the medical impossibilities that were facing him. As long as Lee wasn't dead, then Aniki could heal him.

And then, Aniki glanced at the figure that was beside Lee, "That one, was he your opponent?"

Sasuke nodded.

There was a dark look in Aniki's eyes, although Sasuke didn't know what for. He turned back to Lee, his voice so soft it almost sounded as if he were saying it to himself more than anyone else, although that made no sense because he had to be informing Sasuke, "He's dead."

Sasuke expected to feel elation at those words. After all, it proved that they could really defeat a jounin if they put their minds to it. But, he felt nothing but a stirring of unease. Looking at the figure of the Grass nin again, Sasuke could hardly believe that the man was no longer alive. Really, he looked as if he were sleeping.

"Aniki," Sasuke began hesitantly, "are you sure—"

And then, quite suddenly, Aniki's head snapped up, the look in his eyes making Sasuke's words die in his throat. He had never seen Aniki look so serious, so horrified.

It only took a moment for Sasuke to understand why. Even he, with his minimal abilities in chakra sensing, had started to feel the oozing black miasma of that evil aura. It made him shiver, it made him want to puke, and it filled him with a wide-eyed horror that he hadn't experienced since _that night_. Just… just what was this?

Slowly, ever so slowly, Aniki's head turned towards the direction of the docks, his breath a whisper on the winds, "No, _Naruto_."

* * *

A/n: Right… so in case anyone's confused (because I admit, I screwed up the timing a little) these three fights happened simultaneously as the Naruto/Neji one. I just didn't want to have it all in one massive chapter, but yes, the ending of the fights coincide with Neji's fall. Because... I just realized that there was no way that Edward could feel the Kyuubi's chakra and just continue with his fight, and leaving Kakashi by himself to deal with Kakazu is just too mean.


	25. XIV

Chapter 14- Grieving Skies

No.

No. No. No. No. No. No. No. _No! _

Naruto could only watch wide eyed as Neji, the stuck up ass of the Hyuuga clan, took his last breath and his heart stopped beating.

The blond felt his breath catch, his body shaking. He couldn't understand it, couldn't comprehend it. Didn't the other boy hate him? If so, _why_ did he save him?

Neji Hyuuga had been a complete bastard, from the very moment that Naruto had met him. He was always sneering at the blond, and being mean to Lee, even though Bushy Brows was a really awesome ninja. The only people the Hyuuga had truly acknowledged were Kakashi and Edward nii-san, and even towards Sasuke, Neji had a holier-than-thou attitude.

And then, during the fight, the stupid guy had even suggested giving up, as if that were really an option. Had he forgotten the vow that was made when one became a ninja? That one had to always give it their all? But Neji had just sneered at him, and Naruto had actually decided to give up on the other genin and fight this battle on his own.

And then, the older boy and gone and done _this_.

"Your friend is dead," the masked nin stepped out of his mirrors, his voice tired and his movements sluggish. "Will you not surrender?"

Naruto's head snapped towards the masked nin's direction, his confusion melting as his eyes narrowed, and a fiery sensation arose from within his body.

How dare he?

How _dare_ he?

Naruto didn't understand Neji, would never understand him now probably, and his murderer goes and says something like _this_?

There was a spreading anger in his gut, anger at the masked nin for forcing them into this situation, and anger about him taking Neji away before Naruto could punch the bastard and demand to know what his problem was. It was anger that once again, Naruto had been too weak to protect those that he loved.

He felt the senseless rage curl out from within him, tendrils climbing up his skin and into his ear, whispering about the things that it could do for him. It could take away his pain, it told him, it could make the confusion and the hurt and the feeling of helplessness _go away_. It could do all that.

And Naruto let it.

He felt a tug at his gut and a sensation of darkness overcome him, filtering over his eyes and making the world become indistinct. Distantly he felt his skin knitting up, the senbon popping out as his wounds closed. His chakra bubbled almost painfully, rebelling against what he was letting happen to it, but he hardly cared. He was beyond caring.

He didn't care what he had to do. He just wanted to hurt the masked nin like the nin had hurt them. Like it had hurt Neji who was never coming back. Like it had hurt Naruto by letting him experience something like this again.

He wanted to Hurt. Hurt. Hurt. Hurt. Hurt.

Naruto leapt towards the masked nin, only the thirst for blood on his mind. Senbon flew towards him, obviously wanting to put him out of commission like they had put Neji out of commission, but Naruto was not going to let that happen.

He roared, his chakra pulsating out of his body, and the senbon melted. But the sizzling senbon temporarily blocked his vision, and even though it was for less than a second, the masked nin was already gone by the time that they had finally cleared.

Naruto tensed, stopping his maddening rush and crouching down low, trying to feel for which mirror the masked nin might move from next. And then, he felt it.

Above!

His mind had never felt so clear. Naruto slammed a hand into the ground and pushed his body up, spinning to give him more speed. The masked nin crashed into the spot where he had been just moments before, his senbon imbedding itself deep into the earth.

Just as the masked nin landed, he changed direction and headed for the nearest mirror, but like heck Naruto was going to let him go that far. The blond raced forwards, his rage and bloodlust giving him the speed that he had not had before.

The masked nin turned a fraction of a second too late, and Naruto's hand closed around his throat. The other boy choked as the momentum of the two made him lose his trajectory, and was sent tumbling to the ground, Naruto on top of him.

They skidded across the ground, coming to a stop only a step away from one of the ice mirrors. The masked nin was trapped beneath Naruto's body, breathing heavily. The flesh of his neck was beginning to sizzle under Naruto's grip, but the blond didn't care.

Making contact with the masked nin, Naruto realized something. The mirrors which had seemed untouchable before were created by the masked nin's chakra, and now that Naruto was holding onto him, he could disturb the connection.

Naruto roared, and pushed his chakra outwards. He wanted the annoying mirrors gone. They had allowed the stupid missing nin to move at his incredible speeds and they had allowed him to kill—to kill—

And then, they were. Steam filled the area as the mirrors began to melt, unable to withstand against Naruto's onslaught.

Beneath him, the masked nin coughed, his body feeling deceptively frail under Naruto's choke hold. He made to move one of his hands, but Naruto was faster. The blond cocked a fist, and sent it downwards with all his might with the sole intent of smashing the nin's face in.

The masked nin's head snapped back, his face turning with the force of the blow. Naruto raised his fist for another blow, intent on pummeling the nin to death.

And then, the edges of his porcelain mask cracked, spread and then the whole thing came apart. The cover fell off the missing nin's face piece by piece, finally revealing who was under the mask.

Haku let out a small breath, and Naruto felt himself go still.

Despite himself, the blond felt his mind go back to just three days prior, when Edward nii-san had sent him to that fateful forest.

_The Naruto clone grumbled to itself as it hopped from tree to tree, going in the vague direction that Edward nii-san had pointed out to him. Oh why oh why did it have to be him who had to check things out? Why couldn't Edward nii-san have sent Sasuke or something to do it?_

_On the face of it, it made a whole lot of sense. Edward nii-san had sensed a chakra signature, but not one that would be of a match for jounins, so Edward nii-san had presumed that it was a passing ninja rather than someone who would attack them. Still, the jounin wanted to be sure, but at the same time hadn't wanted to draw attention to themselves, so they had decided on sending out a Naruto clone to check out the scene._

_If Naruto-clone died, they would know the ninja was hostile, plus the bonus of any other knowledge the Naruto-clone might gleam. Really, it was the best move available to them._

_The Naruto clone let out a sigh. Sometimes he really wished he weren't so expendable._

_Finally, he arrived at the destined area. He hopped off the last of the trees, landing at the edge of a small clearing. A quick sweep of the place told him that there was no one here other than himself—wait, no, there was somebody else too._

_There was a lady about his age staring at him with intent brown eyes from across the clearing. She was half hidden amongst the trees, a basket hanging neatly from one arm, and the other hidden from view. She looked about his age._

_The first thought that crossed his mind was that she was cute. Way cute. Even cuter than Sakura-chan. The second thing that he thought of was that she might have seen where the ninja Edward nii-san sensed was._

"_Hey, Miss!" He called out, waving his arms to indicate that he was talking to her, just in case it wasn't obvious enough, "Have you seen a ninja passing through here?"_

_The girl's eyes flashed. Slowly, one delicate hand rose to tap her chin, a thoughtful expression crossing her face, and then she shook her head. "No, I'm sorry, I don't know. What do ninja look like?"_

_Naruto blushed as he realized that he hadn't explained that at all, and had automatically assumed that the girl would know. Wave Country evidently hadn't seen a lot of ninja, and Naruto should have remembered Edward nii-san's warnings about never assuming anything, and always digging for the truth._

_The blond skipped over to the girl, noting that she seemed to tense, and immediately tried to make himself look as unthreatening as possible. Stopping a few feet away from her, he pulled out the biggest grin he could muster, and waved one hand in a grandiose gesture, indicating his forehead protector._

_And then, he bowed, "Hi! I'm Uzumaki Naruto, ninja extraordinaire! You can tell I'm a ninja because of this super awesome—er, I mean, lovely forehead protector I'm wearing!"_

_The girl giggled, and Naruto looked up with a slightly embarrassed smile. He was hardly ever to make girls laugh, and it made him feel good to hear a sincere one from this villager. It was only ever the guys who found him funny, like Kiba, Chouji, Ino…_

_And then he remembered that Ino was also a girl, but then he pushed that thought aside. Ino was completely different. Anyway, the girls usually tended to beat him up for his antics rather than find them amusing._

"_Wow, that's amazing," the girl said, her brown eyes shining with genuine interest, "you're a ninja?"_

_Naruto bobbed his head, beaming. "Yep! I'm Konoha's Number One Hyperactive Ninja!"_

_The girl giggled again, lifting a hand to cover her mouth, "I'm afraid I don't have such an impressive title. I'm just Haku. But… what are Konoha ninja doing here?"_

_Naruto's expression turned a little more serious at that question. "We were sent to guard Tazuna, the bridge builder. There's this super evil guy named Gato, who just won't…"_

_And then, Naruto explained it all. Haku 'ahhed' and 'oohhhed' at all the right parts, and before he knew it, Naruto was going into a grand retelling of everything that had occurred since they had taken the mission. He used wild gestures and sometimes even re-enacted his actions, making Haku laugh at various parts of the story. Despite what an awful mission it was, Naruto couldn't help but feel just a little like it was worth it._

"_Wow," Haku said at the end of Naruto's tale, a light smile playing across her lips, "so now there are seven ninja guarding the bridge builder, three of which are jounin."_

_There was something in that statement that seemed odd, but Naruto couldn't quite put his finger on it. He frowned, but before he could think about it too much, Haku spoke again, drawing his thoughts away from himself. She sounded very serious, and there was something to her tone that had not been there before._

"_So you want to protect this country…" the girl murmured, a glassy look in her eyes. And then, she shook her head, and a bright smile spread across her features, "You're a kind person Naruto, to care so strongly about people you've never met before. You'll become truly strong."_

_Naruto blinked, not too sure where that statement had come from, but then he beamed in reply. Oh well! Female minds were always confusing. "Thanks!"_

_Haku laughed, "Don't thank me. It's the truth. When a person has something that they wish to protect, that's when they become truly strong. Let's meet again somewhere."_

_The blond nodded thoughtfully, before he realized that by Haku's statement, she meant to be going. He deflated a little, having been enjoying her company, but he consented that there were probably things that she needed to do. _

_Besides, he probably should get to sending some form of information back to Edward nii-san that he hadn't spotted the enemy nin before Sasuke freaked out or something._

"_Alright," Naruto said as he raised his arm in farewell. "Bye!"_

_Haku bowed, and turned her heel, giving one last smile to Naruto before she walked off. He raised his hand in farewell, shouting a 'bye' after her. _

"_By the way," Haku paused just before she disappeared from view. Her voice had a laughing, tinkering quality to it as she glanced back and winked. "I'm a boy."_

_Naruto bobbed his head in contentment, before Haku's last words finally hit him. WHAT? His jaw dropped open, and he immediately began to say something, but by that time, Haku was already long gone._

_The blond let out a sigh, although he couldn't help the smile that had come with it. Haku had tricked him good. If Haku lived in Konoha, maybe Naruto would have had somebody else to contest the title of Prankster King over._

_Laughing sheepishly, Naruto put his hands in the 'release' seal, and with a puff of smoke, the shadow clone disappeared._

_Miles away, the real Naruto jerked as his mind was assaulted with the morning's worth of events. And then, he smiled. Brilliantly. When Edward nii-san had asked if something was the matter, Naruto couldn't help but launch into a story about the awesomest new friend he had made, and about how smart and pretty he was._

"Why?" Naruto whispered, his fist falling back to his side. He felt his fury and wrath dissolve like the mirrors were dissolving under the heat of the chakra he had unleashed, leaving only confusion and sorrow in its place.

Haku turned his head back up, a sad smile playing across his lips as he stared at Naruto with his heartbreaking brown eyes. "So you remember me. That's a shame."

"Why?" Naruto whispered again, his voice coming out with a tremble. "Why? _Why?_"

He couldn't understand it. Haku was—Haku was—

And then, Haku told him everything, the snowy village and his tragic parents, his time as a waif and Zabuza… Zabuza rescuing him from that awful life of the cold, cold eyes.

"So you see?" Haku finished with a slight smile on his lips, "He is my everything, but I am useless to him now. What will I do when he doesn't accept me? Naruto-kun, please… kill me."

Naruto shook. There was a whole part of him that couldn't get over the shock. This was Haku? This was the boy with the gentle smile whom he had decided to help that day?

In a way he understood where Haku was coming from. Wouldn't he have wished for much the same thing in his childhood? Wouldn't he have wanted anything that would get him away from the purposeless, hurtful life, even if it meant death in the process? Shakily, Naruto raised his fist.

Haku closed his eyes in contentment.

And Naruto punched the ground next to him, cracking the hard cement.

Brown eyes snapped open, shock clear within them.

"That's so bull!" Naruto yelled, "How could you say something like that? So what if he doesn't care about you anymore? So what? You'll find other people to care, other people to give you a purpose. Yeah, living is painful, but _so what_?"

Haku could only stare at him in amazement, "Naruto-kun, you…"

Naruto shut his eyes, and when he opened them again, there was a painful glint within them that spoke of experience, spoke of tragedy. "Dying is so easy, ya know? There were a lot of times in my childhood that I thought—that I thought that I would just end it all. But if I did that, I would have never have met Edward nii-san, or Sasuke, or even that loudmouth Ino. So, so, even if you don't have a purpose with _him_ anymore, you're obliged to go through with the motions of life until you can find somebody else who will give you a purpose. You killed my friend, so the least you can do… the least you can do… is to live and atone for him."

Haku's eyes were wide with shock, his mouth half open in pure incomprehension. For the first time since Naruto had seen him, Haku didn't have a ready reply, seemed conflicted over what his choices were.

Naruto only sat on top of him, panting heavily. The exclamation had taken a lot out of him, though for what reason he didn't know. It was just words, but sometimes, words rendered more deeply than fists.

And then, suddenly, the bridge gave a huge shudder, throwing Naruto off Haku and sending him flying a few feet away. Haku fared only slightly better, rolling with the explosion rather than being shaken by it.

The two looked up as one, shocked and minds working furiously to find the source of the attack.

A large crater had formed in the center of the bridge, still smoking slightly and obscuring what exactly had happened. Over a few meters back, Naruto thought he heard Tazuna groan, but he hardly even registered it. Haku had gone tense again, pushing himself up slightly as he looked with desperate eyes over to the crater. Everything had gone silent.

"Haah—isn't that a bit—huff—overkill—huff—Maito?"

Naruto's eyes widened as he heard an all too familiar voice join the fray. His head whirled back to the entrance of the bridge, where Edward nii-san was standing, leaning slightly against one of the railings with one arm wrapped around his middle. He was panting heavily, but there was a smile on his face, and it only grew larger when he spotted Naruto looking at him.

The smoke finally cleared, and Maito Gai was revealed standing erect at the center. His clothing was torn and bloody, and one arm hung limply at his side, but he bore a proud grin on his face that nearly hid his exhaustion. Zabuza belly first lay at his feet, his sword buried some distance away from his body and no motion of breathing coming from him.

Haku let out a cry of dismay, pushing himself up almost faster than Naruto could follow and sprinting towards the fallen figure. Gai surprisingly, did not stop him. Whether the jounin saw that Haku was no longer in any condition to fight, or he for some reason felt compassion for the missing nin, Gai allowed Haku to get to Zabuza's body when he could have easily stopped him.

"Yosh! The flames of youth cannot be quenched!" Gai beamed, before he too, collapsed.

Edward nii-san briefly closed his eyes, before letting out a satisfied sigh, "Not critical. Good. Not sure if I can handle any more critical cases."

And then, golden eyes snapped open, and Edward nii-san pushed himself off the supports. He walked towards Naruto, his footfalls slightly unsteady but determined. Naruto had sat up again, some feeling he couldn't name bubbling up within his chest.

Edward nii-san was here. Edward nii-san was _here_. All of the sudden, Naruto did not feel worried or scared any longer. Edward nii-san would fix everything.

"Naruto," his guardian said slowly, stopping directly in front of the younger blond and crouching down so that they were at eye-level, "Naruto, I felt the Kyuubi's chakra. Well, it seems that you've managed to control it, but I need to know—are you alright?"

Naruto opened his mouth, and then closed it. He hadn't known he had used the Kyuubi's chakra. And then, he shook his head, tugging at Edward nii-san's sleeve, "That's not important right now Edward nii-san. Neji! Neji is—!"

He pointed to the fallen ninja. He had been so sure that Neji was dead, and that was why he had gone all crazy against Haku, but he had forgotten that Edward nii-san was there. Edward nii-san was the best medic nin in the world, and it wouldn't be the first time that his idol had brought someone back from the dead.

And then, Naruto saw Edward nii-san hesitate.

A dreadful feeling bubbled up within Naruto's gut, and his grip on Edward nii-san's clothing tightened. He no longer cared that Edward nii-san had cuts and bruises all of his own, and that Edward nii-san was probably hurt from Naruto's harsh grip.

"Neji was a bastard, but he wasn't a bad person. I mean, I thought he shouldn't have been a ninja, because he considered dropping the mission because it was too hard or something, but that's not what a ninja's supposed to do. So I kept fighting and thinking that he was an idiot, but he wasn't, you know? He saved me there at the end, when he could have just left by himself. Neji really really isn't as bad as he pretend to be. Kinda like Sasuke. And you love Sasuke right, so you should save Neji!" Naruto was blabbing, but he really didn't care. He just wanted Edward nii-san to save Neji!

Gently, Edward nii-san wrapped a hand around Naruto's arm, the arm that was holding onto the older blond's sleeve. His eyes were sad, and quite suddenly, Naruto got a cold feeling in his chest. He knew what Edward nii-san was going to say before he said it.

"Naruto, I'm sorry—"

"No!" Naruto cried, jerking back and ripping his arm away from Nii-san. He saw Nii-san's eyes flash with hurt, but he didn't care, "_No!_ You're the best medic nin in the world! How can you not save Neji?"

"Naruto—"

"You've told me that the brain takes four minutes to die after the heart stops beating, didn't you? I don't know if four minutes have passed yet, because I didn't really keep track, but the more time we spend arguing, the less time there will be for Neji, see? Edward nii-san, _please_, I don't care if you assign me chores for the rest of my life, but go and save—"

"_Naruto!_" Edward snapped, the force of his voice making Naruto instinctively snap his mouth shut, "Neji is dead!"

There was a moment of silence.

_Thump._

_Badump._

Honestly, Naruto thought it wasn't fair. He had almost come to terms with it earlier, that someone he barely knew and thought he hated had sacrificed his life for him _anyway_ and believed in him for some reason. And then Edward nii-san had come, and given him hope, only for it all to be ripped away in the blink of an eye, just like Neji Hyuuga's life.

"Ahh," Naruto took in a breath, and then another. He was shaking, he realized, and he could not bring himself to stop.

Edward nii-san's eyes were sad, and Naruto hated seeing him sad, but he didn't think he could bring up a smile at the moment. And then, Edward nii-san moved, hugging Naruto close and rubbing gentle circles across his back. It was reminiscent of That Day, when Naruto had promised to never hurt Edward nii-san again.

Naruto squeezed his eyes shut. And then, he began speaking.

"It's not like… it's not like I didn't know that he was already dead. I mean, I mean I have you as my guardian right? I've picked up some medical stuff. Haku even said he was being serious, so there's no way…" He trailed off, his throat closing up.

"I won't say it's okay," Edward nii-san murmured, holding him close and stroking his hair. Naruto shivered from the contact. "I doubt it'll ever be okay. Killing, watching your friends be killed… when will this ever stop? It's an endless cycle."

Naruto blinked owlishly, looking up at his nii-san in confusion.

Edward only smiled, and shook his head, "Sorry, I didn't mean to go into that. Naruto, my point is, Neji probably didn't give his life for you to mourn for him. Grieve for him in the time that is appropriate, and then perhaps set out to do what he wanted of you. That is the best way to honour the dead."

Naruto ducked his head, and nodded.

He knew all that, intellectually of course, but it was so _hard_ to feel like that when he wasn't quite sure what part of his life exactly was worth saving.

Off to the distance, Naruto noticed the bridge builder hesitate, and then push forwards, stopping only a few feet away from the two hugging blonds.

"Kid," Tazuna began, and then paused, running a hand through his hair. He let out a sigh, half frustrated, half guilty. Naruto kind of didn't want him to talk, because what did he _know_, but he was not Sasuke, he also realized that the bridge builder was only trying to make him feel better.

"I… I don't know how to make it up to you," the bridge builder continued, a haunted look in his eyes, "it's amy fault really that your friend died. I… I shouldn't have lied. But know this, your friend help to save Wave Country, and millions of people will now be able to live because of this. I don't know if it'll honour him enough… but just for starters, how about we christen this structure, The Great Neji Bridge?"

* * *

The past three days had been awful.

The aftermath of the Battle of Wave had been horrifying to behold. While Sakura herself had escaped nearly unscathed, that was not the case for everybody else. The momentary pride she had felt due to her sensei's words and her own accomplishments had been squashed under the monstrosity of what she had learned, and there was nothing to bring her mood up, not even Naruto.

Hyuuga Neji had died. They had held his funeral just a day ago.

Tenten had been inconsolable.

During the darker moments of her day, Sakura could not help but guiltily think that it was all her fault, although intellectually she knew that she could have done nothing. Still, she couldn't help think that if only she had decided to fight Fugimoto from the beginning, or if she had trained harder and had been more of a help to Tenten, then they could have made it to the bridge early enough to help out.

It was a ridiculous thought of course. By Tenten's own admission, Neji was miles ahead of them both, and Sakura knew that to be the case with Naruto as well. If the two girls had gone to the bridge, they would have been more of a hindrance than a help.

It didn't make Sakura feel any less awful about Neji's death. It seemed so surreal. The boy who had been silently watching and occasionally training with them was suddenly gone, and Sakura could only imagine how it felt for Tenten, who was a teammate and possibly something more.

It felt odd to think about a death that she hadn't seen, that had occurred while she was busy with her own enemies. She wondered if this was what ninja life would be like—constantly wondering over the state of your friends and not being able to do anything about it.

Naruto had not taken it well.

Sakura had not been the observant of people regarding Naruto, but even she could see that his mood had been affected by what had happened. He had been uncannily quiet for the past week, only speaking when spoken to. Sasuke and Elric-san had exchanged more than a couple of worried looks over it, but even they could not get the blond to say much. And no wonder, for it was Neji who had died defending him.

Naruto had 'confessed' to it the day after the battle, fully expecting Team Nine to trounce him for it. Sakura couldn't help but spare a smile for her favourite idiot. Naruto was so clueless sometimes.

Needless to say, Team Nine had assured Naruto that it wasn't his fault, and had even gone as far as to say that it was the best way to die. Their smiles were strained, but sincere, and Naruto had graciously accepted it after a round of tears by all of them.

Sakura had never felt so left out. Thankfully, she had not been the only one who felt a little uncomfortable by the waterworks. Sasuke, who had also been there, looked as if for once he were not comfortable in his own skin.

While at any other time Sakura might have taken this as the time to get cozy with the last Uchiha, at that time it had not felt appropriate to her, and so they had just stood awkwardly together. There were a lot of things Sakura felt that she needed to examine before she could feel comfortable with flirting with the Uchiha again.

And then there was the matter of her waking up in the middle of the night wanting to run to the toilet, seeing only Fugimoto's glassy eyes staring back at her.

She was weak, disgustingly weak, and she had not realized how much until that fight how much it could affect her. More than that—how much it could affect her team. She had flashes of Tenten in her wounds, except that she would not recover this time. Sasuke was practically a mummy with the amount of bandages he walked around in, and Sakura shivered at the thought of what would have happened if Elric-san did not get there in time.

Sakura felt useless, but more than that she felt helpless. She did not want to see her team members like that again.

And that was why she was standing in front of Edward Elric's door, her hand raised to knock. Before she could even give one rap however, the door swung open, and bright golden eyes greeted her.

"Ah, Sakura isn't it?" Edward Elric asked with a faint but distant smile on his face, "What can I do for you?"

Sakura took a deep breath, and steeled herself. She would take no shortcuts, not afford herself any slack. That was what she had decided for herself. "Elric-san… I want to learn medical jutsu."

* * *

It was all screwed up.

This, their first C-rank mission, was supposed to be light hearted and cheery. Sasuke and Naruto were supposed to have shown off their skills, and impressed just about everyone present. It was supposed to be an easy mission that showed the Sandaime that they were ready for tougher stuff.

And then, the chuunin had arrived, throwing the whole mission out of whack. The three low level jounin came afterwards, and even with their teamwork, Sasuke and Naruto had not been able to defeat the one that they were tasked with. Then Team Nine had come, and it was no longer just their mission, and then of course there were the events of just a little over a week ago…

Well, Sasuke thought bitterly, he supposed that they did get to show off.

When he and Lee had won their victory against the Grass nin, he hadn't even considered the possibility that the others had lost theirs. For one, Aniki would not have shown up when he did, and for another, Sasuke's mind had been too tired to think properly about it.

That had been really, really stupid.

Lee had pulled some sort of Forbidden move to win their match, and that was with Sasuke sacrificing himself for it. Aniki had later told him that it had been touch and go for a good little while, and there was a real possibility that Lee might not make it out as a ninja.

Sasuke had been so relieved when he had seen Aniki that he hadn't even bothered—didn't even think—that it might _not_ be all alright. He had been like that little eight year old again, clinging to his fantasies and pushing all his dependence on his idols.

The dark haired boy closed his eyes, and punched the wall in frustration. Letting out a frustrated sigh he leaned against the outside of Tazuna's house, his arms crossed as he gazed out into the wilderness. He wondered when they would start talking.

Most of the Konoha nin were inside, with the exception of Tazuna who had gone to the bridge, Naruto who had followed him, and Aniki who was off doing something important. Aniki had told them all that there was no more need to worry about Gato, and if Sasuke had read Aniki's grim smile correctly, then he would wager that Aniki had something to do with it.

He knew it was rude to be eavesdropping, but the stifling atmosphere inside had made in unbearable. Kakashi had also made some excuse to get out of the room, and Sakura hadn't even been there in the first place. Ever since all of two days ago, she had suddenly made herself scarce, hardly seen of outside of her room and meals.

The only ones left in there were the remnants of Team Nine and the civilians, and the civilians didn't really matter anyway. Well them, and the Hyuuga's murderer.

It was the boy Haku who spoke up first, dissipating the frosty silence with a kind and gentle voice. "I know that I do not have a right, but I am sorry for your loss."

Sasuke almost wished he could see the inside of the room, so that he could see the boy's expression as he apologized for an unwilling kill. Naruto had said that he was a friend, and that was the only reason they had let him in, really, but Naruto could make friends with a cobra and so he wasn't quite the best judge.

Or maybe, as Sasuke was finding more and more often, Naruto was a better judge than anyone.

The tense silence lasted for a little bit longer, before it was finally broken, and not in the way that was meant to.

"You're right," Lee said, his voice harsher than Sasuke thought he was capable of, "you _don't_ have a right."

"Lee," Gai cut in, his voice sharp, "that was unnecessary."

There was a pause, and a distinct lack of apology from Lee.

"So," Gai said, presumably turning back to Haku. "What are you here for?"

Sasuke noted that the green clad jounin had not accepted Haku's apology.

Haku took a deep, shuddering breath. There was a gap between that and his words, which Sasuke presumed to mean that Haku just bowed. His voice was pain-filled, but steady, "I am a broken tool. I cannot stay with Zabuza-sama any longer. Please, accept me as the replacement for your teammate. It is the least I can do to right all the evils that I have committed."

This time, the silence was almost tangible.

Sasuke felt heat rise up in his chest. He was not even a member of Team Nine, and he felt himself flushed with so much anger. How _dare_ he? How dare the murderer of a teammate just waltz in and think that he could be an adequate replacement? The dark haired boy was dimly aware that his fists were clenched, knuckles white with the strain, but he couldn't bring himself to care.

That Haku boy was a complete and _utter_ fool. Couldn't he read the mood at all?

As predicted, the explosion that followed was less than pretty. Lee and Tenten started yelling at once, shrieking and heaping abuse upon the boy who followed Zabuza. For a long moment Gai did not stop them, which spoke to how he felt about the matter, really.

But, finally, Gai had to act the response sensei. His single word stopped the yells and screeches of frustration, his voice booming throughout the house, "ENOUGH!"

They all went quiet.

"Gai-sensei," it was Lee who spoke up, his voice a mixture of desperation and choked back laughter, "you're not seriously considering his request are you?"

Gai did not reply.

"Gai-sensei?" Lee repeated, his voice gaining just a hint of disbelief in it. Just a hint of betrayal. "You're not _really_…!"

"His manner of apology was most youthful," Gai said quietly in reply, "and both the Hip Kakashi and the Intense Elric-san have vouched for him. And…"

The unspoken statement was left in the air. _And we are currently missing a teammate._

There was a sharp intake of breath.

Tenten burst into tears.

"How could you say that?" Lee screamed, "He was the one who killed Neji!"

"Lee… he was doing his job." Gai's voice was strained, though with what Sasuke didn't know. If he could hazard a guess, he would say it was somewhere between grief and restraint. "That is what a ninja does. Personal feelings have nothing to do with the matter."

Gai swallowed.

Sasuke shifted uncomfortably. This was not what he had wanted to hear, though now that he thought about it, what else could he have possibly expected? This felt awfully like eavesdropping on a private indulgence, and what he wanted was business.

It was Lee who spoke next, and Sasuke could practically hear Lee's gritted teeth, "He. Killed. Neji."

He couldn't stay, couldn't continue to listen to an accusation he had little feeling over. Oh he felt for Lee, but that was about the extent of it.

Was it bad to say that he did not care for the death of the Hyuuga? Yes, it had been a shock, but Sasuke had known Neji well, and he had not personally seen the Hyuuga go down. Naruto however, had.

If there was one thing that had gone wrong in this mission, Sasuke would say that it was how Naruto was affected. The others he could ignore, push aside, but he couldn't stand Naruto as he was now. It was not how Naruto was supposed to _be_, and Sasuke could only feel utterly helpless as he watched Naruto wallow in his silent grief, refusing to open up to anyone. He hated feeling helpless.

Perhaps he had hoped… perhaps Sasuke had hoped that by listening in, he could find some way to cure Naruto. It was all a stupid plan, really, because Naruto was Haku's friend and what could Sasuke possibly learn from him that Naruto hadn't already? Still, he had been ready to do anything.

Now that he knew that it was nothing like that, he needed to leave. This was a private conversation between Team Nine, and he felt dirty listening in.

Slowly he pushed himself off of the wall, walking towards the forest. To be honest it was the last place that he wanted to go, considering it was there that the dead nin's body lay, but there was nowhere else he was familiar with, and he did not quite want to interact with anyone yet.

He walked away.

Subconsciously almost, his feet began guiding him to the clearing that he and Lee had battled the enemy nin. He didn't know why that was. Perhaps it was due to the fact that he didn't really know any other places in the forest. He didn't care to think about it.

He saw the crater, and he saw the charred trees. Aniki had pulled in the last of his reserves to put out the mini-fires. Their battle had not been kind to the Land of Waves. Quite frankly, Sasuke did not care. The Land of Waves had not been kind to them.

Another set of footsteps joined Sasuke's, and the dark haired boy turned to see who it was. Dark eyes widened slightly in surprise as he saw Rock Lee emerge from the woods, stumbling up to meet him.

The taijutsu expert of Team Nine looked like he had seen better days. There were dark bags under his eyes, and a glassy layer to them that indicated that he had been crying. Sasuke felt a small prickle of pity rise up within him, before he quashed it. He knew that Lee would not appreciate such an emotion.

"You shouldn't be out," Sasuke heard himself saying. "You just got off your crutches."

Lee shrugged, "Didn't have time to get them."

His normal, exuberant nature was a match for Naruto's, and quite a bit ways odder. Sasuke had not been fond of it before, but now he could not help but wish for it back, sunset genjutsu and all.

"You heard," Lee continued, his voice dull, "I know you did."

Sasuke hesitated, but there was no real reason to hide it. He nodded, feeling slightly ashamed, "Yes, I did."

But Lee was not mad, far from it in fact. The green clad boy took a deep breath, looking at Sasuke with wide, desperate eyes. His voice suddenly changed, cold and detached to hot and poignant. "I wasn't wrong was I? About not forgiving him?"

Sasuke faltered. He did not know how to reply. He knew what Naruto would say, and he knew what Aniki would say. They would tell Lee that Haku really had only been following orders, and had been just as torn up over the kill as everyone else, perhaps more so, because he had to carry around the guilt of the kill as well. They would tell Lee that if he couldn't forgive, at least he should try to understand.

He hated having this responsibility.

Thankfully, Lee seemed to have sensed it too, "No, don't tell me what I _should_ hear. Tell me what _you_ think."

Sasuke's lips turned downwards, "Why?"

"Because… because you are the only one who could possibly understand. Your whole clan was murdered, right?" Lee ignored Sasuke's flinch, and ploughed on, "So I need to know, can you possibly forgive the murderer?"

Sasuke shifted uncomfortably. It was telling about how bad he felt towards Lee that he didn't blow up at the boy for bringing up his clan. "Those circumstances… are different."

Lee's eyes narrowed, "Just. Tell. Me."

There was something dangerous about Lee's voice, something that Sasuke did not want to touch. A part of him flared in protest at being treated like this, but he stamped that part down. Lee was going through a lot of grief, he told himself, and he deserved some answers.

"Yes," Sasuke replied finally¸truthfully, "that guy… if he apologized, I could forgive him."

It was an answer he had come up with after many sleepless nights, wondering if he could really embrace again the man who had slaughtered his entire family and then had forced him to watch. He found that the answer was yes, not because he was a saint, but simply because he loved his brother too much to say no. Over the entire clan, Sasuke would take Itachi nii-san.

Lee sucked in a shaky breath, looking down and smiling self-deprecatingly, "So it's just me huh? I'm a horrible person."

And then, he started to cry.

Sasuke's eyes widened, and he took a step forwards, arms half-rising although he had no idea what to do. He was bad with people crying. Girls were bad enough, Naruto was bad enough, but the ever unflappable Lee who dared to wear green spandex in public and had single handedly defeated a jounin?

"Ahh, ahh," he said awkwardly, "it's okay…"

"No it's not!" Lee screamed, hiding his face in his hands, "And it never will be! You were right Sasuke, geniuses are always right! We should have let that Grass nin go and stop the others. If we did that, Neji wouldn't be dead!"

Sasuke's eyes hardened. This, he did know how to deal with. He moved, and punched the other boy full in the face.

Lee's head snapped back, a look of shock on his face as he slowly turned his head back to face Sasuke. A single hand rose to his cheek, where a large purple bruise was quickly forming, "Sasuke-kun…?"

"How dare you?" Sasuke asked, dark eyes blazing, "How dare you insult us like that? How _dare_ you insult Hyuuga like that?"

"What…?"

"_You_ were the one who convinced me to fight the Grass nin. You were the one who made me see the folly of what I'd been about to do. You were the one who awakened the second stage to my Sharingan by showing me the true path of a ninja. You! How dare you go back on your word so easily!"

Lee's eyes were wide, so helpless, like a rabbit. It was such a contrast from the way that he had looked a week ago, fierce and determined, like a predator who knew that they would win, that Sasuke couldn't help but be offended.

"Do you think Hyuuga would be satisfied with this?" The dark haired boy growled, taking a step closer to green clad boy. "Do you think Hyuuga would have wanted you to betray Konoha's ideals just so that he could live? If so, then the Hyuuga clan is more pathetic than I thought."

"Don't insult Neji!" Lee cried, his eyes flashing.

"Hn." Sasuke crossed his arms, an all too familiar sneer spreading across his face, "_I'm_ not the one insulting Hyuuga. _You_ are."

Lee froze.

Time seemed to go still, the last two words hanging in the air just like the ice mirrors that Neji's murderer had apparently used. Finally, Lee bowed his head, conceding his defeat.

"You're right," Lee whispered, his voice soft, broken, "you're completely right."

Sasuke felt the tension leave his body, the anger that had been brought up dissipating as quickly as it had came, "Lee…"

"No Sasuke," Lee looked up with a smile. A painful, heartbreaking smile, "I think I'll be alright. I don't have any parents, so Team Nine was kind of like my family. I guess when I found out that Neji died, I just snapped. But I was wrong, at that point at least. Just give me a few hours, alright? I'd like… I'd like to be left alone for a while. I need to think."

Sasuke didn't know how to reply. He felt like a complete jerk. He could have guessed that Lee's situation was like his, what with Lee going so far to imitate his sensei, and yet he had still said all those things about Neji. If the situation were reversed, could Sasuke have accepted that explanation with that much grace?

The Uchiha swallowed, and nodded in reply. Lee gave him one, last, final smile, and then disappeared into the forest.

Sasuke let out a sigh when Lee went out of sight. He supposed that his plan to stay in the forest had just been thrown out of the window. Still, as he turned back to Tazuna's house with the full intention of jumping back to his room if he had to in able to avoid Team Nine, he found that he couldn't bring himself to regret it.

* * *

Edward had been running from one place to another for the past week and a half, and this was the first time that he got to relax. Tenten, Lee, and that guy had required constant attention, while Gai and Kakashi needed help as well. In between, he had to rest himself in order to replenish his chakra, or find Sasuke and Naruto because despite the fact that they did not say it, he knew that they needed his attention.

And then there was the matter of Sakura. When she had first come and asked him for medical lessons three days after, he had been frankly too stunned to do anything but agree. Later, as he had reflected on it, he found that he had not chosen wrongly. He would always promote healing rather than fighting, even if he was better at the latter, and the girl had real determination in her eyes.

He also admitted rather guiltily that a part of him did want the team that Sasuke and Naruto were in to have a medical ninja as well. He was very concerned over his two brats after all.

Whenever he had the spare time, he would teach Sakura something, and she soaked it up like a sponge. It was unlike the experience with either of his two boys, whom although talented at the shinobi arts, had always rather lacked on the academic level.

Conversing with Sakura had brought Edward back to Itachi…

The blond closed his eyes.

A week and a half ago, he had finally gotten a lead on his best friend, and it had slipped away from the tips of his fingers like the water, except that he had learned how to manipulate water by now, and he still hadn't found a way to get more information on the Uchiha.

When they had finally defeated Kakazu and left him on the brink of death, they had decided right away to go to the more severe cases that Edward could feel. He'd sent Kakashi to the three signatures he felt to the marketplace, and had made out for Sasuke's, when the apparent Akatsuki member had spoken up, a wistful tone in his voice.

"_The Edge of Death Elric huh… so there really are more prodigies like you. Heh, looks like the Uchiha ain't so special now…"_

The words had made him pause, stopping just short of leaving. He had felt the cold clutches of truth wrap around his heart. There was no such thing as coincidences like this.

He'd raced back, but the man had already slipped away. With his medical knowledge, Edward could have brought him back, but the fading auras of the others had been tugging demandingly at Edward's attention, and he knew that he couldn't leave the others to die while he tried to chase an unknown ghost. There would be other chances for Itachi.

He had a horrible, awful feeling that the man was referring to the fact that he had 'gotten' Itachi, but if that were the case, then there would be information about it, right…? Edward had to keep telling himself that.

Other than the time spent teaching Sakura, or healing the others, Edward went around Wave, doing what he had been doing just before he had been interrupted by the whole slew of ninja. Five days after the attack, and Edward had gathered enough information on Gato to send him under.

After a long talk with the man, and a lot of bullshitting about how he had an insurance that would publish everything that he came across should Edward ever 'mysteriously disappear', and the businessman had agreed to never bother with Wave Country again. Edward felt dirty for doing things that way, but it was the way that Danzo had taught him, and the only way to which Kakashi would approve.

And now, with all that out of the way, Edward could finally do what he had been planning on ever since he had heard of all the ninja who had attacked them.

There was also the fact that after a week and a half, Zabuza Momochi had finally woken up.

Edward slipped into the room, making sure to close the door behind him before he turned to the person who had almost become the resident of the room. The Kiri ninja was sitting upright on the bed, bandages covering every inch of him. This time, they weren't just for show.

"You shouldn't be sitting up," Edward said disapprovingly, although he understood perfectly why Zabuza had done it. Heck, he would do the same if the situation was reversed, but he did have his medical ninja procedure to go through.

Zabuza, however, seemed to have seen through him, because he only snorted in reply, "Why'd you save me?"

They both knew there was no denying it. Edward was the only one with the skills to have brought Zabuza back from where he was. There was also the fact that they hadn't killed Zabuza outright, when they very easily could have.

Edward took a seat on the chair beside the missing nin. There was still a tinge of warmth on it, probably still from the Haku kid. Edward wondered bemusedly about that child. He had hardly left the side of Zabuza for the whole time that the Kiri nin had been in his coma, but as soon as Zabuza had awoken, Haku had not shown head or tail of himself.

"To tell the truth," Edward began, and had to smile a little at his choice of words. He did not only tell the truth, he _wanted_ the truth. "Something bothers me about your defection from Kiri. You were one of the Seven Swordsman, one of the most honoured positions in Kiri, and yet for some reason, you turned Missing Nin a couple of years ago. That one year that I spent travelling the lands… I could never get into the Hidden Village of the Mist. There were a bunch of dark rumours surrounding Kiri at the time. You wouldn't happen to know some of them, would you?"

There was a moment's of silence, in which Zabuza simply studied Edward. And then, he cocked a brow, "No."

Edward's eyes narrowed, "That wasn't really a question."

He really wasn't good at all this intimidation stuff, but all those years with Danzo had taught him something. He didn't know why he was questioning the swordsman so hard, because Kiri didn't really have much to do with him, but then he remembered Kakazu and Itachi and Akatsuki which he had also heard rumours of—and those rumours had also, strangely, only circulated in Mist.

Zabuza only snorted in reply, making a disbelieving noise in the back of his throat, "So what are you going to do, kill me? After you worked so hard to save me? Seems like a waste."

"I was never planning to kill you," Edward paused, "you know who I am, right?"

Zabuza sneered, "Course I do. Edge of Death Elric, considered A if not S class."

Edward smiled grimly. He really did hate using his abilities as a threat, because they were not invented to be viewed that way, but he wanted this information, and he was willing to sacrifice a little in order to get it. "Then you should know what I can do."

Zabuza's eyes narrowed, and he growled low.

"Yes," the Kiri nin finally spat. "Yes, you sorry excuse for a ninja."

Edward's right hand twitched. He did know that some hardliners were really against his ability, but he would hardly call it a 'sorry excuse'. Still, Zabuza wasn't exactly referring to that, was he?

The blond blinked slowly, before he threw back his head and let out a laugh. It was half-miserable, half-wistful. "Yeah, I am a sorry excuse for a ninja."

Zabuza's eyes widened slightly in surprise, before they quickly flitted back to their old, uncaring stance, "So you realize it too, huh? Well, why would anyone go invent a technique like that?"

"It's not the technique I'm regretting," Edward murmured, "and since you know it, you should know that I'm not too pleased that you would go so far as to kill a helpless bridge builder who was only trying to save his country."

Zabuza shrugged, "It was my job."

Golden eyes hardened to amber glass, "And I suppose it's _my_ job to do away with missing nins like you."

Zabuza gritted his teeth, "So that's what it's come down to, has it? Either I tell you what's going on in Kiri, or you destroy all of my abilities? Yes _Edge of Death_ Elric, I've heard of you. You can bring someone back from the edge of death, and you can push a ninja there as well… by completely breaking them of anything that is their pride, but not being kind enough to let them die."

"You do make it sound so dark," Edward mused, though not without some undertone. Personally, Edward thought that being neutralized and left to live as a civilian was a better alternative to being hunted and butchered, but there were those who disagreed with him.

"It is a sick ability. We became ninja not because we are pansies afraid of death. You ruin a life's work."

"There are worse things," Edward murmured, "but you evidently don't agree. So, what'll it be? I'll be honest here, I don't like dragging things out and playing word games. Tell me up front. Will you give me the information I want, or should I neutralize you as a potential threat right here?"

Zabuza growled, looking for a moment as if he were about to take the second option, but then, he took a breath, and calmed. He turned his head away, but not before Edward had caught a flash of regret in those eyes and a glimpse of a man who did not seem to be a demon. They so rarely were.

"I don't see how it would make things difficult for you," Edward said softly. Inwardly he cursed his kindness, but he knew he could not continue like this. He was not cut out for this. "If you really do not wish to tell me, then that is fine. I will let you go, no strings attached. Like you said, we have no business with each other."

"A change of heart?" Zabuza sneered, still looking away, "How cute."

Edward shrugged lightly, "It was my mistake to think that I could force it out of you. If you do decide to tell me though, I promise that I will not tell my Hokage unless it is relevant to Konoha's defenses."

Zabuza's eyes _flashed_ as he turned back towards Edward with a jerk of his head. "Damn you! You're just like that _kid_. You think that you can live through the world of ninja by being naïve. Well let me tell you what, you _can't_!"

To be quite honest, Edward was thrown by the sudden show of emotion. But he decided that it was a good thing. "Kindness and naivety are two very different things. I know full well what opportunity I'm losing by giving you up, and it really isn't worth you doubting others for eternity."

Zabuza closed his eyes, and when he opened them again, they were blazing, "Out. Get out."

Despite the fact that it was an injured person there, Edward felt a flare of anger rise up within him. Seriously, that guy was so ungrateful! Snarling slightly, Edward did get up to leave. He had no time to waste with a man who didn't appreciate it. So much for the change of heart.

As his hand touched the door however, Zabuza spoke again. It was in quite a different tone from before, almost subdued, though there was still the undertone of defiance in it, "The Mizukage. He's being controlled somehow. By who, I don't know, but he's made life in Kiri hell."

Surprised, Edward turned back to the Mist nin, but Zabuza had already lain down on his bed, eyes closed as if asleep. From his chakra signature, Edward could tell that he was only faking, not to mention the fact that it was impossible to fall asleep in two seconds flat, but he decided he would let it go.

Zabuza had volunteered the information by his own free will, and his pretence of sleep was an indicator that he was not willing to share any more at the moment. Edward would have to wait if he wanted more answers.

Edward sighed, and stepped out of the room, softly closing the door behind him. Why were ninja so difficult?

Of course, he understood Zabuza's hesitation _now_. With Kiri's Kage apparently being controlled, any country who knew would have an excuse to invade under the subtext of getting rid of the 'corrupt Kage'. It was unfortunate that Zabuza did not know that the Sandaime would never do such a thing, although, Edward thought rather bitterly, Danzo would.

While it would not be fully possible to occupy another Hidden Village in a different country, it was very easy to force many concessions out of a loser village that could cripple that village's economy. That would no doubt make whatever situation there much, much worse.

Edward sighed, and headed towards his bedroom. It looked like that he would have one more secret to keep.

The next morning, Zabuza's signature was gone.

Edward silently cursed, realizing that the Mist nin had likely slipped out in the dead of the night, because he already knew about Edward's sensory abilities and knew that people like him could not sense if they were not awake.

He also likely knew that all the jounin were too tired to give chase, still recovering from their fights as they were.

With Zabuza gone, and the rest well enough to walk at the very least, Edward knew that there was no more reason to stay.

Despite the fact that Edward had already sent a letter to the Sandaime detailing why they would be needing to stay the extra time, he knew that the Hokage was anxious to have them back. Besides, Edward thought that it would do Sasuke and Naruto some good to see the places where they had grown up in. They had been experiencing too much change recently.

While it was not a bad thing in by itself, Edward was worried that it might be coming on too fast, and that the two would need some time to assimilate it all.

They'd packed up by noon, and went to visit Neji's grave for one more time after that. It was not where Neji's body was buried—such they had sealed and were intending to bring back to Konoha, but Gai had for some reason insisted that Neji's grave marker should be here rather than with his clan.

Edward did know a little about Hyuuga politics, and he also knew from the few times he had observed the boy that Neji was unlikely someone who would sacrifice himself from others. He'd asked snatches of the battle from Naruto, and pieced together the rest, as had apparently, Gai.

Then again, Gai was Neji's sensei, so it made sense that he knew the dead boy best.

Edward was eternally grateful for the boy, even if he did not know him so well. He had saved Naruto, for Edward knew that Kyuubi or not, the blond could still very well die if he did not bring up that chakra fast enough. He agreed with Gai that the boy's grave should be here, where he had done his village and himself proud, rather than back in Konoha, where he would be nothing more than one more branch member.

It was a morose affair. Edward and Kakashi both could not do much other than stand there as everybody else made their last replies. The boy who had killed the Hyuuga, Haku, had come along too, and that made things awkward for everybody. Everybody that is, except Naruto.

The blond only stood in front of the grave, blue eyes solemn and completely still. He was ignoring everybody else around him, his attention only for the final resting place of the ninja who had saved him.

Edward had to admit, he was worried about Naruto. The other blond had been smiling and teasing as usual, but there was always a sad edge to him now, and his jokes weren't as exuberant as before. Edward wondered if this death would change him, and whether that would be a good thing or not.

And then, Naruto took a step forward, lifting a hand and resting it lightly on the grave. He closed his eyes.

"Tools… sacrifices…" he uttered, his voice soft at the beginning, but gaining strength with every word. Blue eyes snapped open, and within blazed a determination that was entirely new, and yet so familiar to those who knew him well, "That's so bull! I'll protect everyone, and show everyone that there's value to living. That's my ninja way!"

Edward grinned. He had been wrong to worry at all!

Somehow, the whole company had seemed cheerier after that. Edward chuckled, and turned to leave, but a soft hand on his shoulder stopped him.

Slightly confused, Edward turned around, raising an eyebrow half in challenge and half in question at Kakashi, whose little orange book had crept up almost to his eyes, covering half his face. The jounin eye-smiled when he saw that he had gotten Edward's attention, and took his hand away.

"Hey you know…" Kakashi snapped closed his Icha Icha, gazing at Edward speculatively, "When we were fighting, I saw something odd on your leg…"

Then, Edward realized for all of Danzo's manipulations, the old man was in fact fallible, and perhaps there were ways to beat Danzo at every turn. Yes, the old ninja had tricked three of the brightest ninjas in Konoha; the Hokage, Itachi, and even Edward himself…

But he hadn't accounted for Sharingan Kakashi.

* * *

A/n: Everyone was running on a bunch of misconceptions this chapter o.O I've screwed up Team Gai sooo badly T^T. I wasn't really planning for epicness in Arc 2, but this is how it happened –sighs-

Random tidbit: I recently reread Sasuke Retrieval arc, and I am SO grossed out by Kimimaro's powers .


	26. XV

Chapter 15- The Chuunin Exams

Naruto ran like his suit was on fire, Konohamaru and his two friends not too far behind him.

Sakura-chan could be really really scary when she set her mind to it, especially now that she was learning medical ninjutsu from his nii-san. Why oh why did Konohamaru have to go and insinuate that Naruto was… _that_ with Sakura-chan? Sure he wouldn't have minded if it were true but… now they had run like wild wolves were on their tail!

It must have been his lapse in thought that made him slower, because in that moment Konohamaru raced ahead of him. One moment was all that needed to happen. Konohamaru slammed into something, falling backwards as his inertia was deflected, "Ouch!"

Naruto's eyes widened as he skidded to a halt, his eyes detailing the mark of Suna on their forehead protectors. He had seen that mark sometimes, when he was helping Edward nii-san do reports for the Hokage.

So, what in the world were Suna nin doing here?

The one with the heavy make-up growled, his eyes squeezing into a thin line, as he picked up Konohamaru by the collar of his shirt, bringing the young kid's face close to his menacingly, "That hurts… that hurt you little piece of shit!"

Argh! Suna nin or not Naruto wasn't going to let them pick on the little guy! Briefly his mind flashed to Neji, whom he couldn't protect, but he quickly pushed that thought down. He had made his peace concerning the Hyuuga back in Wave, and he was determined not to spend his days mourning over the loss. Hadn't that been exactly what he had warned Haku against?

"Hey you transvestite," Naruto yelled, raising a fist, "let go of Konohamaru!"

The bully's eyebrow twitched, "I'm a guy!"

The other Suna ninja -the female one- simply sighed, "Kankuro, just ignore him. Let's leave already, or we'll get yelled at later."

"No way," The black clad male growled, "I'll teach him a lesson. I'll show him I'm no trans. Besides, he's a leaf nin, so if I take him out now, then it's one less annoying twit for the exams…"

Eh? Exams? Naruto's mind raced, trying to think of where he had heard that term before, and with a relation to Suna. Oh yeah! Then, it would be quite easy to get the Suna nin to unhand Konohamaru. All he'd have to do was mention who Konohamaru's granddad was, and how it'd cause an international incident blah blah blah. Yep, Edward nii-san had been teaching him a lot, even the stuff he didn't want to know.

But… but if he did that, Konohamaru would never forgive him. Besides, it was way more fun to do things the hard way.

Naruto allowed a large grin to spread across his face, "Hey you twit! Who're you calling a twit? If you're here for the chuunin exams, you'd better let Konohamaru go! 'Cause if you don't, I'll beat you to a pulp and then you wouldn't be able to participate. Would that be shameful?"

"You think you can beat me you weakling? Ha!" The boy dubbed 'Kankuro' threw Konohamaru to the ground, who coughed and then ran back to Naruto's side. His eyes following the Hokage's grandson contemptuously, Kankuro sneered, "Fine then, why don't we settle it right here, or are you too afraid to? I've been wanting to have some fun."

"Kankuro…!" The girl sighed, "Oh never mind, just leave me out of this."

"I accept your challenge!" Naruto grinned, his hands quickly flashing through all too familiar seals; after all, now that there was no Konohamaru to worry about, he could fully unleash all his awesome jutsus. "Though… I don't expect much of a challenge from someone who bullies small children. Shadow Clone technique!"

Two copies of Naruto appeared beside himself in a puff of smoke, and charged at the other boy. Personally, Naruto didn't think he needed them, but if there was one lesson Edward had pounded into Naruto's head, it was not to underestimate enemies. And then there was Kakashi's lesson of 'look underneath the underneath'.

If the Suna nin was good enough to be chosen to be tested to promotion, then that meant that he _had_ to be pretty good, right? Besides, Naruto knew better than anyone not to judge by appearances. After all, Edward nii-san didn't look like much —certainly not as cool as Naruto— but Naruto had never once managed to sneak up on the older ninja.

"Hehe…" Kankuro smirked, removing the thing from his back, "I guess the best way to teach a lesson is to make sure you'll never forget it. Don't ever mess with Suna!"

"I won't give you time to try anything weird!" One of the doppelgangers shouted, kicking the large pack from Kankuro's hands as the other clone flashed behind Kankuro, poised with a kunai to his throat.

Naruto frowned; what the heck? The guy was weak! It looked like two clones weren't even needed. He put his hands up in a handseal, ready to dispel when suddenly, something exciting happened.

Kankuro suddenly started twitching like mad, actually making Naruto feel rather sorry for him. Suddenly, the sand nin's head twisted completely around, his face cracking into an insane grin, "Is that all? Is it my turn now?"

Without warning, multiple hands shot out from Kankuro's body, grasping on the bunshin and _squeezing_. Naruto gasped as the clone poofed out of existence and gave up its memories; well, being squeezed to death was certainly a new one, and it wasn't pleasant. Just then, the thing that had dropped from Kanakuro's back unravelled, and the real Kankuro popped out, surprising the other doppelganger and forcibly dispelling it.

Kankuro put a hand to his hips, the other one twirling with strings attached to his replacement, "Solid clones… impressive, but is that all you've got?"

Now this was more like it! Naruto licked his lips, his mind already going through various plans, "Hehe… looks like I can finally get serious."

A real grin spread across Kankuro's face, "Heh, you're not so bad. I'll have fun crushing you. Karasu…!"

"Kankuro, stop it."

The sand nin suddenly froze, turning with a look of fear in his eyes to the direction of the voice. Naruto followed the Suna ninja's gaze, wondering what scared him so. After all, they were just about to have fun! Hanging upside down from a tree, stood another Suna ninja, this one with blazing red hair. A huge sand gourd was strapped tightly to his back, and Naruto couldn't help but raise his eyebrows at that. What was it with Suna and their need to carry large equipment?

"Ga-Ga-Gaara…"

"You're an embarrassment to our village. Losing yourself in a fight, how pathetic… why do you think we came to leaf village?"

"Listen Gaara," Kankuro protested weakly, "they started it and…"

"Shut up," The redhead's expression didn't change, that somehow that's what sent a chill down Naruto's spine, "I'll kill you."

Kankuro shuddered, and quickly knelt to wrap up the thing that had replaced him, "OK, I'm sorry..."

The girl laughed nervously, bending down to help Kankuro with his task, "I'm also sorry… really sorry…"

Gaara turned to something on his left, and nodded, "Sorry to you guys."

Eh? Naruto followed Gaara's gaze, and was surprised to note that Sasuke was there. "Sasuke! What are you doing there?"

The dark haired Uchiha rolled his eyes, jumping down from the tree with an expert fineness, "Heh, idiot, your chakra sensing abilities are as terrible as ever. I've been there throughout your whole fight. Feh, if these guys are really going to join the chuunin exams, do you really want to be giving all your moves away? Wait no… don't answer that…"

Gaara stared at them for a little while longer, before disappearing in a whirl of sand, and reappearing next to his Suna comrades, "It looks like we got here too early but… we didn't come here to play around. Let's go."

"Hey," Sasuke suddenly stopped them, his eyes gaining an all too familiar glint in them, "What's your name?"

"Huh?" The girl turned back, a blush on her cheeks, "You mean me?"

"No…" Sasuke cocked his head, black eyes narrowing, "You, with the gourd."

Naruto shot Sasuke an odd look; just what was Sasuke playing at? Sasuke smirked, shifting his eyes to the tree, then to Naruto. Naruto got the message. Unlike Naruto, Sasuke was actually very good at sensing when someone was around, but Sasuke was indicating that he had been just as clueless about Gaara as Naruto had been about Sasuke. That meant that this Gaara guy was exceptionally good at hiding his presence, and when adding the fact that he inspired fear in his teammates… well, a challenge was just too good to pass up, wasn't it?

The redhead paused, and tilted his head back, "I'm… Gaara of the Desert. I'm also interested in you and your friend, what are your names?"

"I'm Sasuke Uchiha," The black eyed boy replied with a thin grin, "And he's Naruto Uzumaki."

"Hey!" Naruto crossed his arms fuming. Yeah, so he understood what Sasuke wanted, but that didn't mean he wanted the same thing! Gaara was all his… there was something about the guy that Naruto wasn't too sure about. "Don't make introductions for me! Hey makeup guy, what's your name?"

Well, Naruto already knew, but he thought it would be polite to ask anyway. After all, wasn't that the official rules of issuing a challenge?

"I'm Kan- er…" Kankuro trailed off at Gaara's death glare, "um… you don't need to know. See ya guys later."

With that, the sand trio disappeared. Naruto let out a huff of frustration, "Darn it, I really wanted to finish that match! Just as things were getting interesting with that creepy little multi-hand thing…"

"Er…" Sakura gave him an odd look, "That was a puppet…"

"What? A puppet?"

"What? You mean you didn't know that it was a puppet and you still wanted to continue fighting? You imbecile!"

"So what's so special about puppets?"

Sakura sighed, and quickly explained everything she had read about puppets, ending with, "Honestly, I don't know how you don't know some of the simplest things and then you go and usurp me in knowledge of other areas!"

"Like what, Sakura-chan?"

"Like this chuunin exam thing!" Sakura exploded, "What the heck is that? I was completely confused the whole time you and the sand ninja were talking, but I couldn't very well ask now could I? I didn't want to seem unknowledgeable. Imagine… me knowing less than the idiot of the team… it gives me nightmares."

"Nighmares or not…" Sasuke got That glint in his eye again. He turned to Naruto, a challenging smirk on his face, "This chuunin exam… will be interesting."

Naruto smirked right back, "Hell yeah."

* * *

Gai did not know how he should feel.

Watching over his students, he thought he should be proud, except that he couldn't really bring up that emotion when every five seconds, either Lee or Tenten sent a look that could kill to their last and final teammate, Haku. He thought he might feel annoyed, except that he was not Hatake Kakashi and his value on the beauties of teamwork wasn't quite so high. It was not as if he did not understand where Tenten and Lee were coming from, after all.

Leaning against the tree with his arms crossed, Gai did absolutely nothing as he watched his team run through the various exercises needed to perfect their skills.

Tenten was drawing and throwing her weapons fiercely towards three swinging targets, her shuriken and kunai not missing a single mark. Lee likewise was going through his drills, his weight having increased by a quarter despite Elric having warned him about strenuous activity. Haku was sitting in the middle of the clearing in a meditative position, every once in a while forming ice only to have it melt again. The speed increased every time.

They were all working hard. None of them were satisfied with their skill level at Wave. Despite Gai's warnings, they had all started to believe themselves superior to other genin, and while that was true, they had forgotten that there were more than just genin in the world. Now, after the painful reminder, it seemed that all of them were eager to never be caught like that again.

Gai might have joined, except that he was almost too tired too, and even he knew when rest was needed. Sometimes it was better to give one's muscles time to heal before ripping them open again. One could grow stronger that way too.

He had been training nearly nonstop ever since the day that he had gotten back from the Wave mission. Others knew that he trained hard before, but he now knew that it hadn't been enough. That was evident from the result of the battle he had with Zabuza, the Demon of the Mist.

Yes, he had won, but not without opening six of his gates and collapsing afterwards. Yes, he had won, but it was against an A-class nin, not a S-class one like the ones that Elric-san and Kakashi had taken on. Yes, he had won, but not quick enough to save his student.

Gai felt his lip quirk upwards at the thought, though it wasn't the least bit happy. He knew how to deal with loss. He was nearly a middle aged man, well past the prime for shinobi, and his teammates from his genin days had already passed on long ago. He had also made many friends over the years whom he had lost on missions, and he knew better than to beat himself up over their deaths.

But it was so hard to keep that same practicality when it was his student that suffered, and not just his friend. Gai felt a sense of responsibility towards Team Nine that he had not for his friends, whom he knew could take care of themselves. He felt like he should have protected his kids better—much better.

Gai had always seen the value of teamwork, but for the first time, he thought he saw why Kakashi might be so obsessed with it.

The green clad man shook his head with a sigh, trying to clear his mind of the thought. Teamwork was Kakashi's thing, and Gai could not allow any incident, no matter how big, to change who he was. It was nice dreaming about 'what could have been's, but ultimately, it would lead to nothing but bitterness and disappointment. He knew that well.

Black eyes roamed over the three figures of his team, the thought of Kakashi bringing up another painful reminder. Just a few days ago, Kakashi had entered his team, despite the challenges they had faced, or perhaps, _because_ of the challenges they had faced.

They should have been attending the chuunin exams, Lee, Neji, and Tenten. Instead, they were doing teamwork drills, because Neji was no longer here and Lee and Tenten refused to work with his replacement.

To be honest Gai did not think that Haku should have volunteered for the position.

But Haku had insisted, and, looking into those earnest eyes, Gai had not the heart to refuse him. Haku said that he needed to make up for what he had done, and while Gai thought that the boy was setting himself up for heartbreak, there was nothing he could do but allow it.

Some smaller, darker part of him whispered that he wanted it to happen. He wanted to see Haku, Neji's murderer, struggle day through day to never find the absolution that he apparently needed.

Gai wondered if it was an insult that all of the graduate genin teams had decided to attend this year. He had specifically held back Team Nine until this year because he had wanted to make sure that they were ready, and now, the real, true Team Nine would never be able to compete.

They could have gone far, he knew they could have, but Gai had wanted them to do the best. Now, he wondered if he had first allowed them the experience, would they still have been hurt as badly as they were during the Wave mission? Would they have even been on it at all?

It was stupid to look back upon these things. Shinobi died all the time. And yet, this was the first time that people whom Gai had been directly responsible for had died. He had trained these children for a year and a half. They had shared meals together, did missions together, slept together when it was necessary. It was heartbreaking to not see Neji there scolding Lee and sharing a smile with Tenten, just as it was heartbreaking to see the other two strive to continue without him.

Yes, Gai understood, but that did not mean he could not mourn.

The sun was in his eyes, making them tear up a little, and Gai finally pushed himself off his tree. They had been practicing for a good five hours now, and now was as good a time as any to take a break.

"Alright!" The green clad man called out, "It's lunchtime. Tenten, Lee, Haku, let's go."

Tenten let loose the last of her weapons, and turned to Gai. She was panting heavily, and her body glistened with sweat, showing exactly how hard she had been working. Haku's eyes slowly blinked too arose from his position, guiding over to his new sensei. It was only Lee who ignored him.

Lee continued punching at the target, huffing and puffing every time he made contact. Now that Gai thought about it, Lee had not _stopped_ punching for the past five hours. While he did admire Lee's tenacity, it was also his duty as sensei to allow his best student some breaks.

He stepped forward, "Lee, it's time for lunch. You have to eat if you want to gain energy and become strong."

Finally, Lee stopped. The edge of his knuckles still touching the log post, he leaned forward and rested his head against his target, taking in a long, deep breath. And then, he nodded, and also turned towards his sensei.

If Tenten had been perspiring, Lee was practically a rain cloud with all the sweat that was dripping down his body. The grass at the bottom of his feet were stained a dark green, almost muddy from the mixture of water and dirt.

Lee walked forward, cracking his bones. His voice was quiet, as it always was these days. "Where are we going?"

Gai only smiled in reply, "How 'bout Ringos? Their food has great protein content."

Lee nodded, eyes thoughtful as he turned towards Tenten. She replied with a smile, and skipped forwards, linking her arm with Lee's.

"Let's go, sunshine," Tenten whispered playfully, turning and proceeding to drag Lee towards the direction of the restaurant.

Lee protested weakly, but there was a flustered smile on his face that told Gai that he did not mind his teammate's friendly affections. The two exchanged a few laughing words, and then Tenten looked back, craning her head a little because they had gotten ahead.

"Come _on_ Gai-sensei," she said with a teasing wink, "hurry it up will you, or are you getting old?"

Gai let out a booming laugh, and made to follow them, but then he noticed Haku still standing there, not having moved an inch and a sad smile on his face. Gai could have slapped himself. Although Gai had implicitly invited Haku, sometimes the boy from the Land of Water did not understand that, and with the way Lee and Tenten were acting, it was as if they and Gai were the only ones going.

"Ah, wait—" Gai began, calling after the two, and then he hesitated, his eyes shifting to Haku again. It was not a good thing to abandon one's teammates, but he did not know if bringing it up at this point was wise. After all, the last thing he wanted to do was force a relationship. That would only lead to disaster.

The two others caught the direction of his gaze. Instantly Lee's eyes hardened, and Tenten bit her lip. They were not dumb, and they no doubt understood where Gai's thoughts led despite the obvious cut off.

Tenten also looked towards Haku, hesitating slightly before putting a very big and very strained smile on her face, "Ah yes, Haku-san too. Forgive me for not saying so earlier."

It did not look sincere in the least, but at she was trying. Unfortunately, there were some things that even hard work had difficulty overcoming.

"It's not a problem," Haku replied with that low, melodious voice of his, inclining his head and gesturing for Lee and Tenten to lead on. The two quickly did so, with Tenten giving one last wave back. They looked uncomfortable with staying, knowing that they had made so obvious a blunder, and yet also knowing that they could not hope to correct it.

"I'm sorry," Gai sighed as they went out of earshot, leaving only the two jounin level ninja behind, "it will take a while before they can forgive you."

Haku blinked slowly, turning his head up to Gai and staring at him with those wide, unnerving eyes, "I am not looking for forgiveness Gai-sensei. I am only atoning for my mistakes."

* * *

"What was that?" Naruto asked, scratching his head. They'd only just ascended their second set of stairs to the chuunin exam room, but it seemed as if the exam had already started. Naruto had felt it evidently, but couldn't identify it.

Inwardly Sasuke sighed; he knew he had been expecting too much. Then again, it wasn't like it really mattered. With Sasuke and Sakura on his team, Naruto didn't _really_ have to worry about any life threatening genjutsus.

"The stairs," Sakura said with narrowed eyes, "Someone's set it so it seems like we're climbing an extra set of stairs. Currently, we're only on our second set of stairs, but we're supposed to feel like we're on our third. Obviously someone wants us to end up on the wrong floor. The question is, do we go and see who fell for this trap, or do we continue?"

Sasuke thought about it for a moment, then shook his head, "Anyone worth it wouldn't have fallen for this."

They agreed that this was the case, and continued on their way.

It got even more interesting, when they finally made it to the exam room. The place was crowded with people. Suddenly, a heavy loud slammed into him, almost knocking him over, "Sasuke-kun! You're late! I haven't seen you for a while so I've been waiting in excitement."

Sasuke sighed. He had been hoping to avoid fangirls, and Naruto usually did a very good job of warding them off, but Ino Yamanaka was a whole case by herself. First of all, she was Naruto's friend, and was too used to Naruto's antics to get thrown off. Second of all, she was at least somewhat of a competent kunoichi, and did deserve some respect.

For a moment Sakura looked as if she were about to protest, but mercifully she stayed silent. If there was one thing that was good about the Wave mission, it was that Sakura finally seemed to have taken up her duties seriously. Sasuke didn't really know what had happened to her, though he could probably get the story if he really wanted to, but he was glad for it.

"Oh, Ino," Naruto sounded surprised, "you made it too?"

Ino playfully glared at the other blond, but finally got off Sasuke. She grinned, cocking her head to the side as she examined Naruto, "Course I did. I am the amazing Ino-sama after all. I see you've been doing well, though I'm not sure it's fair that you and Sasuke are on the same team. Hey, if you're trying to make it stacked, why didn't you have me instead of Forehead?"

Sakura, it seemed, had enough. She stomped her feet, all of her hard earned maturity disappearing in four seconds flat, "As if you could do any better, Ino-pig!"

"You guys are taking this stupid test too?" Shikimaru Nara walked up to them calmly, hands stuck in his pockets, "Don't die…"

"Tch," Naruto threw his head back in a gesture of arrogance, "As if we'd die. You're the ones who should watch out."

Shikimaru raised a brow, then shook his head, "Whatever… man, this sucks…"

"Yahoo!" A familiar, annoying voice- Kiba Inuzuka. "Found you! Well, well, everyone is assembled."

Sasuke blinked. If he remembered correctly, Kiba was on Team Eight with Hinata Hyuuga and Shino Aburame. He looked towards the direction of the voice, and sure enough, he spotted the long time friend who _didn't_ attempt to talk his ears off. Sasuke allowed himself a nod, and found Shino giving one in return.

"Geez…" Shikimaru frowned, "You guys too?"

"I see…" The dog boy nodded as if he had a brain, "All of this year's rookie genin are taking the exam. I wonder how far we will get… eh, Sasuke-kun?"

Sasuke snorted; Kiba's first point was obvious, and as for his second point… "I don't know about yours, but my team will win."

"Arrogant," Kiba sneered, but then his face broke out into a smile, "Don't underestimate us. We did a lot of training, we won't lose to you."

Sasuke seriously doubted that whatever amount of training their team did could account for six years under Aniki. And then of course, their current sensei Kakashi was no slack off either. Initially he might have been, but it seemed that he had developed some sort of competitive streak for who could teach the 'kiddies' the most. Aniki won hands down of course, but Sasuke couldn't say that he minded the extra attention.

"Hey you guys!" Another person yet interrupted, "You should be more quiet."

Sasuke stiffened; he hadn't sensed the other person at all. Slowly, Sasuke turned, as did the rest of the group. Standing in front of them with a hand on his hip, was an older leaf genin with glasses, an arrogant expression on his face.

"You guys are rookies just out of the academy right?" The older genin asked, shaking his head, "Screaming like school girls… sheesh… this isn't a picnic."

"Who do you think you are?" Sasuke asked tersely, not able to help the slight tenseness in his voice.

Naruto must have noticed it, because he glanced at Sasuke oddly, in which Sasuke gestured towards his heart; the center for using Alkehestry, and shook his head. Naruto raised both brows, looking at the stranger disbelievingly, but nodded his head to show that he understood. Sasuke couldn't help the slight smile.

"I'm Kabuto Yakushi," The intruder answered, "But instead of that, look behind you. Those guys behind you are from the Hidden Rain; they have short tempers. Everyone is nervous about the exam, quiet down before you cause a scene. Well, I can't blame you. You're clueless rookies. You remind me of how I used to be."

Hold on a moment. Yakushi? Why was that name so familiar? Sasuke furrowed his brows, trying to remember…

Sakura clearly had other intentions, "Kabuto-san, right? So this is your second time?"

"Nope," Kabuto smiled slightly, but it wasn't a pleasant one, "My seventh time. This exam is held twice a year so this is my fourth year."

What…? That made no sense. Even with Sasuke's inexperience with alkahestry, he could still sense Kabuto's strong chakra. Plus, how in the world had Kabuto snuck up on all of them if the older genin had failed seven times? Surely the chuunin exams couldn't be that hard.

"Wow," Sakura looked unsure whether she was impressed or wary, "So you know a lot about this exam."

"That's right," Kabuto smirked, holding up a bunch of cards, "I know a lot of information! And… I'll share it with you cute rookies. With these nin-info cards…"

"Nin-info cards?"

Sakura's curiosity was really going to get her killed, someday.

Kabuto quickly explained the usage of them, his every word making Sasuke more and more nervous. It wasn't good that someone had so much more information than them, on them. Still, he wanted to know one thing…

"Gaara of Suna, show me." There was something about the red haired boy that made Sasuke nervous. He didn't know what, but something about Gaara of the Hidden Sand was… off. Even Aniki had agreed, when Sasuke had asked him about it later. Of course, Aniki had said that it was all taken care of, but it couldn't hurt for Sasuke to prepare a little, right?

"Oh, since you know names, it should be easy then," Kabuto swiped his hand across one card, then flipped it face up, revealing Gaara's supposed stats. "Mission History: 8 C-rank, 1 B-rank. Wow, a B-rank mission as a genin… since he's a newcomer from a foreign country, I don't have much info but… it seems he returned from all his missions without even a scratch."

That was… disturbing. Even the ever unflappable Naruto looked a little wary. Still, something else about what Kabuto said disturbed Sasuke even more. Not much information…? That was quite already quite a lot, especially on someone who'd just arrived in Konoha a week ago, and taking the chuunin exam for the first time. Kabuto was dangerous, very dangerous. Sasuke wondered… "Could I ask for one more?"

"Sure," Kabuto replied easily, digging out another card and preparing to swipe it, "Who would you like?"

Sasuke smirked, "Kabuto Yakushi."

Kabuto's smile froze, "You surely don't expect me to show you all my own weaknesses, do you? I mean, you wouldn't do that, right?"

Naruto sniggered, "I guess you don't have any information on Sasuke after all. He's not afraid of others knowing about his abilities. He can still own everyone else- well, except me, that is."

Bingo, Naruto. He'd even let that comment about Naruto surpassing him slide- for now.

"I know what you're trying to do. You're trying to trick me into revealing my card, by trying to goad me into trying to prove that I'm not a coward. Just so you know, I'm not falling for that, but I do admire how you rookies have guts. Tell you what, I'll let you view my information… as long as you're okay with me showing yours."

"Done deal!"

"Like Naruto said," Sasuke said coldly, "even if everyone knows my info, I can still beat them."

"Hey!" Kiba growled, "Don't be so arrogant! Kabuto-san, show mine too!"

"Fine, if you're all so eager…" Kabuto grumbled, swiping his hands over the cards again as he flipped one over, "Naruto Uzumaki. Mission history: five D-rank, two C-rank, one B-rank, and one…"

He trailed off, looking stupefied. He flipped the card over, and then turned it upright again, as if he were confirming that the information was true.

"Well?" Ino asked crossly, tapping her foot, "Are you going to tell us or what?"

Kabuto just shook his head in disbelief, before he suddenly seemed to gain control of himself again. He coughed, "Sorry about that. So, mission history… Uzumaki Naruto has also completed one S-rank mission."

There was a stunned silence.

Sasuke blinked, not having expected that, but if he thought about it, it did make sense. Nobody else seemed to have understood though, not even Sakura. Hinata was staring at Naruto with wide, adoring eyes, while Ino was openly gawking. Shino and Shikamaru seemed as unreadable as ever, but there were slight indicators of their surprise. Chouji's bag of chips had dropped from his hands, and Kiba's mouth had practically dropped to the floor.

It was all so unsightly, and yet Sasuke could not help the upward twist of his lips.

"That was considered S-rank?" Naruto murmured in wonder.

Sasuke nudged Naruto harshly with his elbows, making sure to keep his voice low, "Idiot, who did you think Aniki and sensei had to be fighting to put them in that state? Think for once."

"Ohhh, ooh right, of course."

Despite saying that though, the blond still looked stunned. Sasuke could not blame him. In truth, a part of him felt stunned as well, but thinking back to that day and the smell of blood and burning flesh, he could not think of a better title for the mission.

Kabuto cleared his throat, bringing everybody's attention back to him, "Okay, I can kind of see why you're so confident now. Anyhow, our sensei is 'Copy-nin Kakashi', and overall your skills are pretty impressive, especially your stamina. Your weakness however, is genjutsu, which no one has ever seen you cast. Also, it says you know something about seals."

Naruto shook off the last remnants of astonishment and let out an impressed whistle, "Wow, you certainly know a lot about me. Hehe, I must be famous!"

Sakura bonked her blond teammate on the head, going from impressed to incensed in the span of a second. "Idiot! You didn't have to confirm his information!"

Naruto scratched his head, smiling sheepishly at the pink haired girl, "Hey, hey, Sakura-chan, it's no big deal. Besides, he doesn't have _everything_."

And Kabuto didn't. The information about Naruto was at best, a little sketchy. It wouldn't be enough to trap them with. Even Naruto's genjutsu weakness wasn't a big deal; Sasuke and Sakura were here for him.

Slowly, it seemed as if the other genin were stirring from their astounded states. Either they did not understand how incredibly difficult a S-rank mission was (which was likely) or they had simply become very good at adapting, Rookie Nine was back in action.

"Huh," Kiba grunted, "looks like you've gotten a lot better than in the academy, Naruto."

"That's not necessarily true," Surprisingly, it was Shikamaru who interrupted. The black haired Nara leaned back on his heal, looking excessively lazy, "Naruto was always very good in practicals back at the academy, and he knows some of the most random information. I honestly don't know how he ended up with the lowest mark. Maybe it was so he'd end up with Sasuke? A bit unfair, though."

"Hey!" Naruto cried indignantly, "It's not like I planned to fail! Mizuki rigged-"

"Can we move on?" Sasuke interrupted, keeping his voice smooth. That idiot! Naruto was just about to reveal _what_ exactly his B-rank mission entailed, and that one would be hard to explain. It was kind of top secret information… which reminded Sasuke; how in the world did Kabuto know?

"So eager to see your own information?" Kabuto smirked, "Very well. Sasuke Uchiha- Mission history: 5 D-rank, 2 C-rank, 1 S-rank. Oh, what's this? Missing the B-rank mission? Hm… anyway, your skills in all subject are excellent, achieving top mark in the academy. Your ninjutsu is something especially to watch out for, as well as your bloodline limit the Sharingan. Oh my, your team is tops."

"So is mine," Kiba growled, "Show them!"

"Kiba Inuzuka. Mission history: 10 D-rank, 3 C-rank. All areas are fairly good, achieving fourth in the academy. Hm… not bad, but I'm not sure if it's exactly tops."

"Heh you bastard! I'll let you know that I have—"

"Kindly do not reveal everything please," Shino had placed a hand on Kiba's arm, stopping the dog-boy from saying anything else. Kiba looked to his teammate, his expression slightly chagrined.

Sasuke felt his traitorous lips twitch again, and this time Shino must have caught it, because he somehow ended up sharing a look of exasperation with the dark haired Uchiha.

"Er, right. Sorry Shino." Then, Kiba turned back to the rest of the rookies, a determined glint in his eyes, "Still! I'll show you that you're not the only ones who're strong!"

"Hm," Shikamaru snorted, his voice a low murmur, "It doesn't matter if you're strong. You're all idiots…"

"What was that?"

"Moving on," Shikamaru gazed at the four year veteran lazily. "Your information?"

"Um… right. Kabuto Yakushi. Mission history: 163 D-rank, 28 C-rank. My specialty is in genjutsu, though I'm fairly good at taijutsu too. My ninjutsu is not something to be proud of, but it's passable."

"That's all?" Naruto frowned, looking disappointed.

"Yeah that's all," Kabuto nodded, "But not everyone's like me. In fact, most people participating in the chuunin exams are like you and Sasuke-kun. They're the crème de la crème, the top genins of their village…"

Naruto's lips parted, and there was a distinctly hungry look in his eyes that had nothing to do with ramen, "Are they…?"

And then, the blond turned to Sasuke, who only smirked in reply. "Idiot, we knew when we entered, didn't we?"

This would not be like the mission in Wave, where they had been outclassed at every turn. Their opponents here would be much more their level, or even less. It would be a challenge, but there would be no deaths this time. This would be a test of pure skill. He was excited.

* * *

Hinata swallowed nervously as she put down her pen. The first portion of the first exam had concluded, and now all she could do was wait for the tenth question. She looked down at her test paper. She'd managed to get six of the questions by herself, and she hoped that it was enough.

Managing to hone in her shaking, she flipped over her page and looked around, wondering how her teammates were doing. She trusted them explicitly, but she still wanted to confirm.

Everything had been so confusing to her for the past month. A big part of her foundation had been shaken when Gai-sensei had come back with her older cousin's dead body, expressing his deepest regrets. Neji nii-san had died.

Hinata had not been able to believe it. Neji was the strongest person she knew, even more incredible than Naruto or Sasuke in the way of shinobi. He was always taunting her, scorning her, but not without good cause. He had hated the main family from the core of his being, and Hinata had borne it because she remembered the boy who had been kind before he had been cruel, and she remembered the cousin who had comforted her after she had tripped and had gotten bruised.

She remembered the day that it had all changed for him, all because of her weakness.

She had wanted him to aim that hatred towards her, so that she could eventually convince him out of it. She wanted him to see the light again, but now, that was impossible. He had died on a mission before he had been able to see that not all of the main family were as horrible as he thought. He had died before she could prove that she was not as horrible as he thought.

Hinata had to bite her lip to prevent herself from crying. It would not do to begin shedding tears in the middle of an exam, especially considering how important this one was.

Taking a shaky breath, she began looking around in earnest, hitting herself inwardly for letting herself get off track.

Shino and Kiba were doing well, just as she thought they would be. Her obligatory checkups done, she began searching for another genin whom she wanted to pass.

Uzumaki Naruto. The boy whom she had admired ever since she had stumbled upon him practicing all by himself one day after a spectacular failing at the Academy. He never gave up, and he eventually got what he deserved.

She still remembered that day clearly, the day that he had thrown his weaponry and for the first time, hit all ten targets accurately. Naruto had apparently gained a 'nii-san'. Uchiha-kun, the best student in the class, had an argument with him after that, and then a year later, the two were inseparable. Naruto had found people that truly acknowledged him, and it gave her hope that she could, too. That was why Hinata wanted Naruto to succeed, no matter what.

Finally she spotted him, sitting in the back row with a Rain ninja to his right and another Konoha nin to his left. He hadn't even glanced up from his page. His tongue was poking out slightly as he hurried through his answers, scribbling them down as fast as he thought of them.

Hinata breathed a sigh of relief. She had been worried for a moment for Naruto because the test questions were harder than usual, but he seemed to be taking it in stride. She smiled encouragingly at him, although she knew he couldn't see. She would always support him from the shadows.

"Alright!" The exam proctor at the front suddenly barked, startling her slightly and almost making her jump out of her seat, "Pencils down! The tenth question will now start!"

Everyone hurried to obey. None of them knew if not being quick enough would result in them getting disqualified.

The exam proctor took a deep breath, and began explaining the rules. With every word, Hinata felt her heart sink. No… no surely that couldn't be right, could it? But, she detected no irregular heartbeat from him, no indication that what he was saying was a lie. Every year, the proctors were different, and it was the proctors themselves who decided the rules. It seemed that they had just been unlucky enough to get a serious one.

Hinata bowed her head as slowly, hands raised, people dropping out faster than flies in a windstorm. Tremors raked through her, and breathing suddenly became difficult. She didn't know what to do!

She wanted to continue on with this exam, really she did. All her friends from her year would be in it, and Naruto-kun too. But at the same time… at the same time, she could not remain a genin forever! Her father would never stand for it, and how could she hope to protect Hanabi if she were stuck doing D and C-ranks only?

Hinata squeezed her eyes shut, tears filling the edge of her vision. She knew she was going to disappoint her father no matter what she chose, but at the moment, she didn't care about that. She thought of Neji, who had died because he was not ready. He was a prodigy, and she was less than the scum on his shoe.

Kabuto-san had said that everyone in this exam would be at Naruto-kun's or Sasuke's level, hadn't he? If Neji could not win against an opponent that Naruto-kun had defeated, what hope did she have of beating the ninja that could very well be stronger than Naruto-kun?

Suddenly, with abject clarity, Hinata saw why there were rarely any rookie genins in the chuunin exams. Team Eight could not hope to win, not with her dragging her teammates down.

Silently, she apologized to Kiba and to Shino. She knew that they probably wanted to continue, but she could not bank her future on the chance that she might fail to answer the question. Perhaps next time, they could find a better teammate to take the exam with them…

Hinata Hyuuga raised her hand.

* * *

Hiruzen Sarutobi sighed as he gazed down at the blank sheet of paper resting oh so innocently atop his desk. He was trying to pen a letter, but he did not know the words.

When Kakashi and Edward had come back from that Wave mission three weeks ago, Hiruzen had nearly had a heart attack. There were often times that a mission became mislabelled, but not to the extent that theirs had. A C-rank turned S-rank was nearly unheard of.

Add to the fact that two of his favourite blonds were on that mission, and Hiruzen had been inexplicably grim.

Thankfully Edward had the foresight to call for backup, although neither he nor Kakashi had expected to encounter S ranked missing nins. As a result, a very promising young genin, one Neji Hyuuga, had lost his life, even with the legendary medic on their team.

The Hyuugas had of course not been pleased, considering that Neji was the direct nephew of the current head and considered a prodigy by his own rights. Still, ninja died in duty; that was a fact of life. While the matter should have been simple, the fact that the Hyuuga died protecting Naruto, the Jinchuriki of Konoha, complicated matters beyond measure.

Still, Hiruzen had to admit that the situation was better than if say, Team Eight had been sent instead, and the heiress of the Hyuuga clan had lost her life. It sounded cold, but the reality was that politics did not slow down for emotions, so Hiruzen could take some comfort in that one small blessing.

He tapped his pen against his desk, irritated at himself for allowing his mind to go off track. The Hyuuga situation wasn't what he needed to write about after all. It would be something that he would have to take care of himself, and there was no asking for help for it.

What he couldn't take care of himself was the information that Kakashi had revealed in the aftermath of the Wave mission. Apparently Kakashi had spotted a seal on Edward Elric's leg during their battle with the S-class nins, and when Kakashi had questioned Edward on it later, the blond had given no response.

Kakashi had originally thought it was something embarrassing, and wanted to tease Edward about it, but when the blond had neglected to answer even one word after intense pestering, the silver haired jounin had realized that something was wrong. Or at least, that was what Kakashi had told Hiruzen. Kakashi himself was still unsure whether he was making an assumption, or whether it was the truth,

And then, he had drawn out the seal for Hiruzen to see, and then there was no doubt about it.

Danzo had not exactly gone out of his way to conceal his seals. Most of the time they could be found on the tongues of his more obvious operatives. Of course, when Danzo had someone undercover, it was almost impossible to find where he had engraved his damned seals.

The thing was, Danzo did not need to be subtle about his seals.

The people that Danzo sealed could not say anything themselves, and Danzo always had a convenient excuse as to why they were sealed. Hiruzen did admit that Root had uses, although he did not approve of it. He was sure that there was more going on there than Danzo claimed, but he did not have any proof to back it up, and as such, he could not move on one of his oldest friends.

Hiruzen did not know how or _when_ Danzo had gotten his hands on Edward too, and he felt like a failure all over again. It was all too reminiscent of the night that the ANBU had come in, reporting of Itachi escaping the Uchiha Compound after slaughtering all of his brethren, and turning missing nin despite his promising career. Hiruzen had known then that his 'advisors' had acted contrary to his will, binding a confused young boy to them and harshly turning him against the good of the world.

Now, Danzo seemed to be doing again, with Edward.

A part of Hiruzen hoped that when they removed the seal on Edward, he could tell them that they had all been mistaken, and that Danzo meant no harm. The larger, more realistic part that had helped him survive the Second Great Shinobi War told him that Edward might possibly be the one who could help him finally bring Danzo to heel.

Hiruzen sighed, and allowed his mind to move onto the second subject.

Edward had come to him a few days ago about sensing another Jinchuriki, which Hiruzen had confirmed. After all, the Kazekage would not be stupid enough to bring in a potential weapon without first consulting the Hokage.

Jinchuriki were considered something else, of course, but as part of the shared trust of the allied countries, they were allowed to participate in chuunin exams. That, and Hiruzen knew that he would have wanted the other countries to regard Naruto as a regular ninja should it ever come to that.

The thing was, Edward had reported the demon being much more closer to the surface than Naruto's. Much, much, more.

It was not national polite politics to interfere in the national policies of other nations, especially concerning Jinchuriki. Normally Hiruzen would not have bothered at all, but Edward had then come up with all these metaphors about what could have happened to Naruto if his seal weren't 'screwed on straight', and Hiruzen admitted that he had been worn down by it. He had promised the blond (partially out of guilt for not noticing Danzo's work) to see if he could convince the Kazekage to let a seals master to look at the Jinchuriki's seal, though inwardly he had no hopes of that going anywhere.

The last and final subject was probably by far, the most disturbing.

Edward and Kakashi had brought back the corpses of the nin they had fought in the Land of the Waves, but Hiruzen had not expected to see what he had found.

Kakazu and Tanto, S-class missing nins. On the face of it, he really should have expected it, considering the condition Edward and Kakashi reported to being in after they concluded their battle. However, it was still a shock to see the two long sought after nins being brought forth so coincidentally during an escort mission of all things.

That was not what was concerning though. What was concerning was the cloaks that they were supposed to have worn, and how Kakzu had apparently introduced himself.

Akatsuki.

It was the organization that Jiraiya had warned him about, and had set out to research all those years ago after Orochimaru deflected (and that still sent a pang through his heart, but he consoled himself with the thought that Orochimaru's child at the very least, had turned out so well). No, there was really no avoiding this letter. Nor, he found, did he want to.

There really was too much to express all on one page, and besides, there was too much sensitive information that could be intercepted. It would be best to make it short but urgent, so that the hermit could get his ass back here and help Hiruzen out of this mess.

He picked up the pen, and scrawled out seven words.

_Jiraiya, you are needed._

_~The Third Hokage_

* * *

A/n: This chapter felt meh. I hate transition chapters.


	27. XVI

A/n: Hey, it's been a while. I apologize, even though I'm pretty sure it'll happen again sometime down the future. It's getting harder to write this now and I can honestly see why there are so many abandoned fics out there. Not to mention that NARUTO hasn't been worth following for a while, ugh. Plus, the phenomenal response to my other Naruto fic, _The Daddy Thing_, has done its part in diverting my attentions. But worry not! I DO plan to finish this, no matter how long it takes. Now I realize that some of you may have forgotten what happened previously, so here's a quick sum:

Ed is stuck in Konoha and becomes friends with Uchiha Itachi. When Itachi defects, Ed promises to look after Sasuke and at the same time, find the truth of what happened the night of the massacre. His investigations lead him to Danzo, who manages to manipulate Ed into working for him. Also during this time Ed gains guardianship of Naruto.

More recently, Team Seven and Ed travel to the Land of the Waves, and get ambushed by multiple enemies, including Akatsuki's Kakazu and Tanto. They called in Team Nine as well, and the pairings of Lee and Sasuke, Tenten and Sakura, Neji and Naruto face off against higher level ninja. Neji dies in the resulting fights and Team Nine is left heartbroken. After a talk from Naruto, Haku decides to join Konoha in repentance. Zakuza makes an ominous comment about Water Country to Ed and disappears, and Kakashi discovers some of Danzo's manipulations. The chuunin exams begin.

p.s. I heard somewhere that Neji died! In cannon! I can't believe it.

* * *

Chapter 16 - Will to Win

"Man! So much came out! I feel great now!"

Sasuke didn't even glance over, he knew he'd see the clothes and shape of his brother, but he also knew that it wouldn't be him. He felt a smirk flit across his face; this chakra-sensing ability that Aniki taught them was very useful.

"I said not in front of a lady and…!"

Inwardly, Sasuke snorted; honestly, Sakura was so clueless. Their teamwork was getting better yes, but not that horribly well. Oh well, he supposed he was to blame as well. After all, it was hard to trust anyone other than Aniki and Naruto. First things first though, he needed to take care of the imposter.

In an instant, he body flickered to the imposter's side, slamming the make-shift blond into a tree. Sakura's eyes flickered, and instantly she fell into a fighting stance. Good, she knew that he would never randomly hit Naruto like that, and that Naruto would be good enough to dodge it.

Smirking, Sasuke flew to the imposter's side, and delivered a quick kick to the head. The imposter went out like a light, his illusion falling away to reveal a dark haired Rain nin.

"Tie him up," Sasuke ordered, "Naruto should be back really soon."

Sakura nodded, and proceeded to do as Sasuke asked. Sasuke frowned a little at the compliance, but shook it off. After all, that meant he didn't have to do any of the grunt work. It was when the Rain ninja was fully immobilized, that Naruto came back.

He took one glance at the tied up ninja, Sasuke's smug look, and Sakura's wary expression, before he grinned, "Hey guys, what'd I miss?"

"Some stupid imposter pretending to be you," Sasuke shook his head, "Even if I didn't have Aniki's abilities… this guy transformed with his holster on his left, when you're clearly right handed, and he missed the mark the crazy examiner gave you. He's even more of an idiot than you."

"Hey! I resent that!"

Sasuke cocked a brow, "You think you're more of an idiot?"

"Wh-what? No! That's not what I mean at all! You stupid bastard! Don't go twisting around people's words like that!"

Sasuke burst out laughing, and Naruto joined in a moment later. Sakura simply looked between the two of them, and sighed, "Okay, what do we do with this Rain nin? I've checked, and he doesn't have a scroll."

"Oh that's simple Sakura-chan," Naruto walked up to the Rain nin, and slapped him on the face. When the ninja didn't respond, Naruto slapped him a few more times.

"Hey!" Sakura protested, taking a step towards Naruto, obviously intending to stop him, "Just because he's our prisoner, doesn't mean we should abuse him!"

Sasuke reached out for Sakura's arm, holding her back. He ignored the blush that spread across her face, and focused on the moaning Rain nin, who had just regained consciousness, "Naruto just wants to question him, don't interrupt."

Naruto grinned, rubbing his hands together and his face stretching out cheekily like a fox's, "Time to get to work!"

Fifteen minutes and a long list of terrifying pranks that could easily be done to an incapacitated ninja from another village later, and they had gotten the information on the scrolls. Naruto could be intimating by sheer insanity alone.

"I'm surprised you haven't done that to anyone yet," Sasuke quipped when Naruto finished and the Rain nin went unconscious once again, referring to what Naruto had actually threatened the Rain nin with.

"I'm glad you haven't done that to anyone yet," Sakura muttered in reply, "I could see… hm, just about _anybody_ really avoiding the public for the rest of their life if something like that happened to them."

Naruto only grinned in reply, "See, Sakura-chan understands! Nobody's pissed me off _that_ badly yet. Ya know, I'm not upset that we got the info, but I can't believe that the Rain nin sold out his teammates like that! They deserve to have their scroll stolen! It's so-"

Just then, a sudden wind blew through the opening, cutting off Naruto's words. Sakura quickly hit the floor, instantly accessing the situation and reacting to it. Naruto held his hands up, trying to block the winds. With his strength, he might be able to do it too.

Sasuke gritted his teeth and quickly crouched low, trying to keep his center of gravity low so he wouldn't be blown away. The winds railed against him, but it did fail to move him.

Darn! He had sensed those nins a long time ago, but had hoped that they wouldn't bother Team Seven. He had been too naïve. Then, he saw the seals Naruto was forming, and the words on the blond's lips, though he couldn't hear.

Sasuke grinned. Good Naruto!

The wind around them abated, or at least, they did within a certain radius around Naruto. Outside of Naruto's jutsu's perimeter, the trees still blew wildly. It stopped however, when it was clear that it wasn't having any effect. Naruto grinned, and looked to Sasuke, who jerked his head towards his left. Naruto let up his jutsu, and turned towards that general direction, putting his hands on his hips, "You can't defeat a wind master like me by using wind jutsus! Believe it!"

A low, amused chuckle rang through the air, a Grass nin wearing a large straw hat jumped from a tree, landing gracefully on his feet. "Neither tired nor ill prepared, are we? This will be more fun than I thought."

Sasuke tensed; there was something about this ninja… something that seemed off. That had been the main reason he had been wanting to avoid the Grass trio. Sasuke couldn't yet sense chakra levels like Aniki could, but even he could feel something dangerous about the Grass nin. He wanted to subtly signal Naruto, but the idiot wasn't even looking at him.

Sasuke frowned; well then, he'd have to be obvious. This was too dangerous to ignore. "Hey Naruto, careful around this guy."

Sakura tensed, seeming to understand that something was wrong, but it was the blond's reaction that Sasuke was watching for.

Naruto turned to him, narrowing his eyes. The blond had to know that Sasuke wouldn't degrade him around an enemy like this unless it was a real emergency. Slowly, Naruto shifted to a warier stance.

The Grass nin chuckled, digging into his pack, "That scared are we? Or maybe just that perceptive…? Anyway, you want my earth scroll right? Since you guys have the heaven scroll…"

Then, he did the grossest thing Sasuke had ever seen; he swallowed the earth scroll whole. They all tensed; he knew it, something was seriously wrong with this guy!

"Kukuku, now let's begin, the battle for each other's scrolls," The air suddenly became thicker, tenser, harder to breathe in. Suddenly, Sasuke got a very bad feeling about this, worse than the one he already had. Licking his lips, the rain nin widened his eyes crazily, "With our lives on the line!"

He was dead. A kunai went through his forehead, splattering blood, precious red blood. Sasuke gasped, lurching forward and wrenching when he realized that it hadn't actually happened. Was this… genjutsu? No… no, if it had been genjutsu, he would have seen through it. This was… pure fear.

"HA! Is that the best killing intent you've got? I've felt way worse!"

Sasuke's eyes widened as his head snapped to his blond teammate, who seemed almost completely unaffected by the monstrous killing intent. He'd felt worse…? Oh yeah, because he was the Kyuubi container. Sasuke felt his fists clench; he was going to kill the bastards who did _that_ to his brother.

The Grass nin looked shocked, which Sasuke took some satisfaction in, "You've felt worse…? Wow, I actually feel bad for you."

"Don't make fun of me, bastard!"

"I was doing nothing of the sort. Nevertheless, your teammates can no longer move."

"Not. True." Sasuke struggled to his feet, digging out a kunai from his pack. Heh, he wouldn't lose to Naruto.

"Oh-ho, I am impressed. Just as I thought, you are _very_ interesting prey…"

Sasuske channelled chakra to his eyes, allowing the coal black to slowly bleed to a blood red, "Naruto, I think we need to go all out on this guy. Sakura, stay as backup."

Sakura nodded, fading into the trees. She knew enough of their skills to know that she couldn't keep up quite yet, and would only be in the way. Besides, Aniki had taught her some medical jutsus, so she had to be protected as a healer.

"Naruto, that day we decide to surprise Aniki because he promised to bring back a red herring but couldn't find one—"

Naruto grinned, making a horde of shadow clones, "I'm on it."

That said, they all charged. Sasuke joined in the fray. The rain nin actually looked surprised at the speed, but that didn't stop him from dodging out of the way. Swiftly, he delivered a number of counter-attacks; his taijutsu was impressive.

Still, Sasuke's speed was no joke either, nor was his form. However, even helped by the clones, Sasuke was getting outmatched. The Grass nin was dispelling each and every one of Naruto's shadow clones systematically, while still countering Sasuke.

But they weren't done yet.

As the last shadow clone dispelled, Sasuke jumped away, watching the real Naruto crouch to the ground, gently touching a thin line that was gorged into the ground.

Sasuke didn't waste any time. He quickly formed the handseals just as Naruto's seal lit up, activating, "Fire Release: Dragon Fire!"

Naruto quickly leapt back as the fire roared towards the Rain nin, adding his own jutsu to the mix, "Wind Release: Torrent!"

The Grass nin's eyes widened, and he struggled to move; but couldn't. Sasuke held back a smirk; Naruto's seal had worked perfectly. The fire engulfed the Grass nin, made more potent by the raging winds. The enemy ninja would have to have a medic on Lady Tsunade's level to make it out alive.

On that day, Naruto and Sasuke had wanted serious to teach Aniki a lesson. They knew his medical skill was impressive, and he could heal himself just perfectly afterwards. Sasuke had charged with the clones, making sure to mask the fact that each clone when they weren't fighting, were drawing the lines for the seal. An original invention of Naruto Uzumaki's; one that stopped the person within it from moving, at least for a little while. Then, they had performed this sequence perfectly. Or at least, semi-perfectly.

It turned out that when Aniki had seen Sasuke jump away, he made a shadow clone to replace him, knowing something was up. Still, that was due to the fact that Aniki was jounin, and this Grass nin was no jounin.

Sasuke's eyes widened at what happened next. _No way._

A giant snake surrounded the Grass nin, burnt to a crisp. A head emerged from the top of the snake's defensive wrap, revealing the uninjured head of the Grass nin. The wild thrashing of the dead snake had wiped away most of the seal, and now the enemy ninja was free to move as he pleased.

"Genius sealing, blond hair, blue eyes…" The Grass nin jumped down from the snake, narrowing his eyes at Naruto, "Minato? No… no way. Still, you're about the right age for…"

Suddenly, Naruto was slammed into a tree, gasping as the Grass nin held him by the neck. Sasuke took a step forwards, but the warning glare the Grass ninja gave him stopped him in his tracks. The look told him that if he dared move so much as a pinky, Naruto would die. Sasuke gulped, shaking.

"My, my, my," The Grass nin licked Naruto's cheek, ignoring the blond's disgusted face, "I almost don't believe this. Really, I should eliminate you right now, before you grow to be a threat… but then, I suppose that wouldn't be very fun, would it?"

Smirking, the Grass nin turned to face Sasuke, "You'd be upset if your friend died, correct?"

Sasuke tensed; what kind of question was that?

The enemy ninja nodded knowingly, "Ah yes, I see. You'd never forgive me. Well then… I suppose I can't kill him. But… he is in the way right now. I can't have you two pulling off another stunt like that; I might just be killed next time."

Without warning, the Grass nin slammed Naruto's head back, hard enough to shatter bits of the tree. Naruto's eyes rolled back, and his body slumped forwards. Grinning, the Grass nin tossed the blond aside, as if he were a useless rag doll. Sasuke felt his body shake from anger; how dare he?!

"My, my, you're angry aren't you?" Suddenly, the Grass nin's eyes crystallized with desire, "Very well then, show me the power of the Sharingan!"

"What are you on about?" Sasuke growled at the female ninja, "Why are you here?"

It was apparent by now that the Grass nin was no ordinary genin. Sasuke was not being overconfident in saying that he and Naruto's combos would have never failed against a regular opponent.

They had even had an affect against Baruna—the jounin that they'd fought in the disastrous Wave mission. It was only how they had handled it afterwards that had lost them the battle.

"Oh I want many things Sasuke-kun," the Grass nin purred, which was just freaking _creepy_, before she launched himself again and creepiness turned into fear fear _fear_.

Sasuke hurriedly leapt out of the way, just barely dodging the Grass nin. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Sakura's terrified form, and he suddenly realized that he couldn't stay. The Grass nin was completely out of her league, and she'd end up just like Naruto if she tried helping.

And she would end up like Naruto. She'd improved over the past few weeks, but she was still nowhere near either of their levels, and the Grass nin had managed to trounce them both soundly without much effort at all.

Tsking, Sasuke took to the trees, leaping away from his teammates and deeper into the forests. He tried to ignore the gasp he heard from his pink haired teammate, a sound that was carried to him by the winds. He tried to ignore the betrayed emerald eyes and the sinking look of helplessness on a face that had somehow become one that he remembered.

"Sasuke-kun—no!" Sakura called out, but Sasuke didn't listen.

For one horrifying second the Grass nin didn't follow, and Sasuke wondered in dismay if his tactic had failed, but then the female ninja had let out a chilling laugh and leapt after Sasuke.

"So," the Grass nin whispered silkily, "trying to draw me away are you?"

It was all Sasuke could do not to stiffen, because to do so would slow him down. With a snarl he turned around, sending a slew of shuriken the Grass nin's way. He never slowed, having well mapped out the aerial road before he turned.

The Grass nin only laughed as she dodged each and every one of the projectiles. It was just as well, since Sasuke had never intended to hit her with those anyway.

"Honestly this works out better for me, since all I wanted in the first place was to be alone with you," the older nin said, bemused. Quite suddenly she stopped, not moving anymore as suddenly, her expression sharpened, "Now, this is far enough, don't you think?"

"Agreed," Sasuke intoned without inflection, and, without a single pause in his step, suddenly changed direction and flew towards her. The Gass nin didn't even have the grace to appear surprised.

"Sasuke-kun," The Grass nin practically sang as he flipped to yet another branch. "Shall I tell you something very interesting?"

Sasuke didn't respond, simply sending yet another slew of shuriken at the girl as he dashed after her.

She dodged out of the way, of course. Grinning, the Grass ninja avoided each and every one of Sasuke strikes, somehow managing to continue talking all the while, "Five years ago, there was a fascinating event in Konoha. It spread all over the world, until even the most secluded of hermits knew about it. Because, you see, it was most unusual, even for the ninja world. In just one night, one of the most famous clans in the entire ninja world suddenly disappeared—leaving only one, lonely eight year old boy."

_Don't pay attention, don't pay attention, don't pay attention,_ Sasuke told himself as he charged forward yet again.

"Except he wasn't the only one left of the clan, now was he? There was another—a secret kept to all but most trusted members of Leaf Village. The reason that the clan suddenly disappeared -the reason that the name of this prestigious clan vanished from the records—was because one of the members went insane, turned absolutely mad, and killed each and every one of the clan. That is, except for his younger brother. He disappeared after that, leaving his eight year old sibling to fend for himself."

Sasuke gritted his teeth, and aimed a kunai at the Grass nin's eye. As the Grass nin moved to dodge it, Sasuke flashed through a number of handseals, then released his jutsu. He knew the Grass nin was just trying to get to him, he knew that. And yet…

The Grass nin danced out of the way, somehow, laughing as she spun, "That boy raged, cried, and cursed the name of his brother—perfectly vengeful. But then that older brother had a friend, a very concerned friend who decided to take over the care of the younger brother. And so the younger brother did not grow up with vengeance and hate, but instead grew up with the belief that his older brother was forced to murder his clan somehow."

He wouldn't listen. He wouldn't listen. He wouldn't listen.

"And he was right."

…_what_? Sasuke faltered, and almost lost an arm because of it. Seeing Sasuke's hesitation, the Grass nin had fired off a spew of kunai, which had actually almost hit him because Sasuke wasn't paying attention.

Inwardly, he cursed himself. No matter how he felt, he couldn't allow himself to be distracted in battle. Naruto's life was on the line. The Grass nin was only purposefully trying to startle him.

The Grass nin chuckled as Sasuke narrowed his eyes, throwing three more kunai. She twisted her body this way and that, not even bothering to move as the weapons whirled past her. "Is this the best you can do? I must say, I'm disappointed…"

Sasuke's eyes narrowed, and then he _pulled_. The Grass nin suddenly stiffened, her eyes seeming to bulge out of her face. She looked around, her situation finally dawning on her.

Sasuke didn't give her any time to think of a solution. He put his hand to his mouth, almost kissing his knuckles, and blew. Fire sprang across the invisible ninja wire he had tied around his weapons, and streamed towards the Grass ninja.

When he had let all those kunai and shuriken fly, it hadn't been without purpose. He had been systematically planning this spot and the angles so that the Grass nin couldn't see what he was doing.

And then, at the right moment, all Sasuke would have to do was apply a little bit of chakra to the ninja wire, and they would trap his opponent. Unfortunately, it would only trap them for a few seconds at best.

As soon as the fire left his mouth, Sasuke let the ninja wire drop. The fire would roast anyone, but Sasuke also knew that the Grass nin wasn't just anyone. The dark haired boy dropped into a stance, letting his breathing level out. He clutched his right arm, and slowly, he started to hear the sound of chirping birds…

"_What I am about to teach you is very dangerous, do you understand? As you have seen with Lee's Gates, advanced techniques also have very advanced consequences. However, in an instance like the one we encountered in Wave Country… I would hate to lose my promising little bunnies just because I wasn't there._

"_What I am about to teach you is an assassin's technique, and as such I do not want it to be treated lightly. You must tell no one you are learning this, not even Naruto. Maa... what's with that look? Do you think I'm favouring you? Please, don't be conceited, it's nothing like that. As much as I'd hate to say it, Naruto has the Kyuubi when all else fails, and the nine tailed fox will not let him die. Sakura's level is unfortunately too low right now to learn anything like this. If the time comes, it will be up to you to save your teammates._

"_Do not use it for showing off. Do not use this for missions, even if it means failing. Only use it when you or your teammate's life is in danger. Only use it when you have no other choice."_

His right arm was vibrating, sending little jolts of pain throughout his body, but he was used to pain. All he was worried about was getting there fast enough... finishing this fast enough...

The fire had just went out, leaving a charred corpse behind. The corpse was the real one- Sasuke could feel it. But he also knew it wasn't a corpse... and it would only take an instant for the Grass nin to be on her feet again.

Sasuke charged, racing full speed towards the incapacitated ninja. He had picked this path for the least resistibility, the least obstructions in his pathway. Sasuke ran without hindrance, readying his right claw for the fatal strike.

Soon, the Grass nin was in front of his eyes, and without a moment's hesitation Sasuke struck his lightning covered hand towards the Grass nin's heart-

His hand stopped an inch from the Grass nin's chest, but it wasn't he who did it. A cold, sinking feeling spread through Sasuke's body as he realized he couldn't move his arm. A bony hand was clamped around his right wrist, blue veins bulging out as it held Sasuke in its grip. Sasuke jerked his arm back, but it would not move.

The blue lightning dissipated.

A high, wicked cackling filled the air, making Sasuke's skin crawl. Suddenly, another bony hand arose from the charred body, moving in quick jerky movements as if it were a puppet. Sasuke flinched back, but it didn't go to him.

Instead, the hand rose to the Grass nin's head, one long fingernail resting at the center of the girl's forehead.

Sasuke watched in horrified fascination as the hand fell, and the fingernail with it. There was a horrible, screeching sound of nails on chalkboard, as the charred skin rippled and ripped away.

The Grass nin licked her lips, which were wholly unblemished. She looked different from before- and now Sasuke really doubted she was a 'she' at all. 'Her' strong hand certainly didn't feel like a woman's hand, even for a female ninja.

The Grass nin had long, shoulder length black hair, which plastered to her skull and the sides of her face. Her eyes were narrow, almost snake-like in their appearance. Sasuke recognized with a shiver that they were the same gold as Aniki's- but they couldn't possibly be related, could they?

"That," She smiled, her voice the same high pitched tone as before, "was dangerous. You could have killed me."

"You were playing with me," Sasuke spat.

Because yes, he realized it now- there was absolutely no way he could defeat her. He'd always known, but never had he known it so clearly until she'd caught his chidori easily and somehow managed to avoid the watchful trap of his Sharingan. She'd been holding back on him for some purpose, and his only way to defeat her was to find that purpose.

"Yes," The Grass nin (or was she even a Grass nin?) frowned, "I suppose I was. But we mustn't underestimate your efforts. Truly, I didn't expect you to do so well. You remind me so much of Itachi..."

Sasuke tensed, "Don't say his name."

The Grass nin smiled, "And why not? I daresay I know him better than you do. Shall I finish my story?"

"I don't want to hear your lies or-"

"There really was a conspiracy, and your guardian discovered it."

That shut Sasuke up.

"You see, the Uchiha clan were a high and proud species, and they had an extensive history. Along with the Senju clan, it was really the Uchihas who built Konoha. And so, they had a right to it, so to speak. However, it was the Senjus who won in the end, so it was a Senju who got to become the first Hokage. Still, the Uchihas remained a central part of Konoha, even if they weren't leading it. This, you know.

"What you probably don't know though, is that Uchiha eyes –the Sharingan- is capable of controlling the tailed beasts... Yes, I can see from your expression that you know what this means. After the attack of the Ninetails, many people started to suspect the Uchiha, seeing their police forces as control agents. This greatly isolated the Uchiha clan, and pushed them further from the villagers. Soon, the Uchiha couldn't communicate with the villagers at all, and it was only one lone Uchiha who had establishments both within the clan and without.

"Itachi Uchiha was one of a kind, though I personally think you have the potential to be greater. He was an ANBU Captain... but he was also the spy for the Uchiha clan. But, Sarutobi found out, and instead converted Itachi to his own cause. Itachi became a double agent, and it was very taxing on him I'd imagine...

"Ah, are you starting to remember something? Well, anyhow, the Uchiha clan had thoughts of rebellion- had been having them for a while, actually. Any way that the Sandaime could think of to resolve the issue would be messy, because despite the ninjas' isolation, the villagers loved the Uchiha. If the Sandaime were to deal with the Uchiha forcibly, he'd have a peasant's revolt on his hands. Besides, the Sandaime never liked to use violence; the old fool always thought there was a peaceful way to things.

"Unfortunately, his top three advisors who also knew about the situation did not think like he did. Danzo, the commander of ROOT ANBU, secretly gave a set of instructions to Itachi Uchiha one night and told him it was the only way to save Konoha. Those instructions were to annihilate the Uchiha clan by himself, so that the Uchiha died with the Uchiha, and Konoha could not be blamed."

The Grass nin had let go of Sasuke's hand by now, but Sasuke could still not move. He was stunned by what he heard. Could... could it be true? It would explain everything, and yet... "Why- did I- me...?"

The other ninja smiled, seeming to understand Sasuke's meaning even with the confusing words. "Because he loved you. Itachi Uchiha loved his little brother above all else. After the massacre, Itachi went to Danzo and threatened to reveal the whole thing if he were to touch a hair on your head. And then of course, there was Edward-kun's nifty little trick in getting you out of Konoha. Ah, you didn't expect that? Yes, Edward Elric's reason for taking you out of Leaf Village was far from 'just exploring'. They both knew you were in dangerous waters; they were far from stupid after all."

"How do you..." There were so many questions he wanted to ask. Too many. His throat was closing. He didn't know what to say. But, he couldn't afford weakness. "Know Aniki? Edward Elric?"

"How do I know your brother?" The Grass nin blinked, "Well, I have met him a few times. As for Edward-kun, I've never _met_ him per say, but I've heard enough about him that I feel like I know him quite well..."

"And you said," Sasuke forced himself to continue. After all, the longer he stalled the ninja for, the higher chance that someone would come to rescue them, right? At least, that's what he told himself to think. Sasuke didn't want to think about his actual reasoning for actually conversing with the person who had almost killed Naruto. "Ani- Edward Elric discovered this."

"Right," The Grass nin blinked owlishly- or what would have been owlishly if not for the snake-like eyes, "I did say that, didn't I? Yes, your guardian did discover this little conspiracy, but unfortunately at the same time, Danzo discovered him. Danzo defeated him, but Edward-kun begged to live. Again, it wasn't for himself- it was because of you. He was afraid of what would happen to you if he died, and so Edward-kun pledged his services to Danzo if Danzo would let him live. Funny isn't it, how all these geniuses sacrifice themselves for you.

"Edward-kun has been busy these past few years- I wonder if the Sandaime realizes. The dirty work Danzo has him do... my, my, even I would not put my subordinates through that. Oh, you're looking rather angry. Remembering the times your guardian came home late perhaps, or maybe Danzo even personally visited your home?"

"How," Sasuke finally grounded out, "can I believe you?"

"To put it simply, you can't. But Sasuke-kun, look in your own memories. Don't listen to my words, look at your experiences. Or perhaps... you could ask your guardian about certain events. I'm sure you're smart enough to pick up on hidden meanings. You'll find that I'm not lying."

Could... could what the Grass nin be saying true? But... but the Grass nin had already fooled them so many times and-

"I see that it'll take you a while to digest this information. Well, unfortunately I don't have that time to wait. How 'bout this? I'll come back again- or better yet, you can come see me. I'll leave a little present for you. My name is... Orochimaru."

Sasuke's thoughts ceased. Orochimaru?

There was a nasty smile. A flash of pale skin. A sharp pain on his neck.

And then, a world of torment.

* * *

A scream split the air.

Settled in a small clearing beside her blond teammate, Sakura startled at the sudden sound. Her head whipped towards the direction of the disturbance, green eyes wide with worry. Before she knew it she was half way up, in an awkward sort of crouching position as she angled her body towards the sound.

"Sasuke!"

She hesitated. She wanted to go after him, to see if he was alright, but—

She looked at Naruto. He looked so helpless lying there, propped up against the log because he himself had no strength to shift his position. Naruto was always so full of energy, bounding around and keeping up an endless stream of chatter, and now that he was so still it almost seemed as if it'd never come back again.

Sakura shook her head, forcibly shoving such depressing thoughts into the deep corners of her mind. No, she couldn't afford to think like that now. She was, quite possibly, the only one of her teammates left with any ability to defend them at all.

That thought sent a sinking feeling to the pit of her stomach. If Naruto and Sasuke, whom she was sure were the strongest genins of the year, were no match for the mysterious Grass nin, what chance did she have?

She plopped back down, defeated before she could even attempt to fight.

But minutes passed and she heard nothing else, and nobody came back to finish the job.

The forest likewise stayed silent.

She tried not to think of the reason that was. She really, really tried. But she couldn't. Sasuke wasn't one to show his pain, and normally he'd never scream like that, and the Grass nin had already managed to so easily take down Naruto…

Surely if Naruto were awake, he'd demand that she go check on Sasuke…?

But that thought sounded an awful lot like an excuse, even if it were completely true. It felt too much like she were going to abandon Naruto for her crush, and she didn't want to be that girl any longer.

But she couldn't leave Sasuke alone and pretend that nothing had happened. Something obviously had, and what if it were serious? She'd never forgive herself if she didn't go.

Gritting her teeth, Sakura walked determinedly over to Naruto, and with a huff, hauled him over her shoulder. She staggered underneath the weight, but somehow did manage to stay standing, if not a little bent over.

Taking a few deep breaths, she began walking towards the direction she heard Sasuke's scream.

It was slow going. Naruto's feet dragged in the gravel beneath them, but there was little that she could do about it. It was already all she could do to keep walking without sending them both falling to the ground.

Finally, finally she made it to Sasuke. The sight that greeted her was not a happy one.

"Oh my—!" Tears sprung to her eyes, and before she knew it she had dropped Naruto and was rushing over to the prone form of her other teammate. He was lying on the ground pale as death, accentuated all the more by his dark clothing.

Quickly she fell to her knees, taking his wrist in her hands and passing two fingers over his pulse. For one horrifying second she thought she felt nothing, but then, there it was, the beat that informed them that he was still there.

It was a weak, spluttering pulse, but it was there at least.

Sakura felt like crying in relief. She thanked whatever gods there were that the Grass nin didn't appear to have killed Sasuke outright.

"Alright, alright, what was it that Edward-sensei said?" She muttered to herself, taking a breath as she struggled to remember the lessons the grinning blond had given her. It felt so far away. Her brain was stumbling, slow with fatigue and worry.

She was frustrated with herself. What good was her oversized brain if she couldn't even _think_?

Finally, and much more slowly than she would have liked, she remembered the jutsus Edward-sense had taught her for unknown comas. They'd only started on the basics, and she knew there was no way she was at the level where she could even hope to bring Sasuke out of it, but she could definitely make him feel more comfortable.

Nodding determinedly to herself, she put her hands over Sasuke's chest and half closed her eyes in concentration. Her hands started to glow slightly with concentrated energy as she brought forth her own chakra, doing her best to redirect the flow of her raven haired teammate's.

She was rewarded with a rebound so powerful it actually sent her flying across the clearing. She landed in a heap at the base of a tree, groaning as she struggled to right herself again. When she finally did, she couldn't help but look at Sasuke's body in horror.

_What was that?!_

When she'd tried to redirect the chakra flow, she'd been hit with a wall so thick that it'd made her feel like an ant. Actually, it wasn't even a wall, but more of a tornado. And it felt… awful.

Wrapping her arms around herself, Sakura fought back a shiver. She wasn't exactly scared of Sasuke, but _that chakra_.

"What did she do to you, Sasuke?" She whimpered, closing her eyes. She couldn't help but acknowledge bitterly that while she knew all four hundred and nine rules of being a ninja like the back of her hand, she didn't actually know anything useful like how to access what the problem was with Sasuke. Even Naruto had more knowledge of chakra manipulation than her.

Green eyes widened in horror as the thought reminded Sakura of something she'd neglected in her shock. Sakura whipped her head back to her blond teammate, who was lying exactly where she had dropped him.

She felt a stab of guilt. In her hurry to check on Sasuke, she'd forgotten about her other downed teammate! Could she do nothing right?

But… but this wasn't the time to pity herself. They were still in the middle of the chuunin exams, and it was dangerous. It was with bitter clarity that Sakura recalled that the grass nin did not even deem her enough of a threat to knock out, but she was glad for it now.

She was no Sasuke who could take on the exam all by himself, nor was she Naruto who could likely turn all the enemies on each other and allow them to escape, but she was the only one conscious. She would protect them until they were well enough even if it was the last thing she did.

Nodding determined, Sakura took in a deep breath and got up. She pushed back her fear, her worry, her self-hatred. She had work to do.

Setting up the basic traps did not take long at all. It was basic Academy knowledge after all and she had always done well in the Academy. She wasn't sure how well it'd hold up against the participants of the chuunin exams though. As she'd seen from Team Ten, ninja were far more complicated than the Academy would lead them to believe.

After making sure she had at least some form of base protection for Naruto and Sasuke, she began on more complex traps. She utilized the seals that Naruto had seen fit to show her, and hoped beyond hope that she wouldn't foul it up. She was about halfway through her third one when suddenly, a squirrel ran out from seemingly nowhere.

Her eyes widened as she caught a glimpse of something that was definitely not natural attached to its back. She might not have caught it a few months ago, but Naruto was fond of using any and everything to get the results that he wanted and she had long since grown used to looking for unexpected things in the most common of places.

She let out a hiss and sent a kunai flying towards the squirrel, intending to scare it away. Her aim was true and her kunai landed half a step in front of the critter, stopping it in its tracks. With a startled cry the squirrel ran back the way it came, carrying the explosive tag with it.

Her whole body tensed, because now she was aware that someone had to be watching her even if she hadn't heard them, and she dropped the trap she was setting up.

"Show yourself!" She screamed, and it was only a moment later that she realized that it might not have been a good idea to announce her knowledge of her stalkers so quickly. But she couldn't think of how it would be any better to react differently, and at least this way she would know what she was dealing with.

There was a rustle to her left, and a moment later, a team of three appeared just at the perimeter of her traps. She recognized them. How could she not? They had caused such a commotion during the first half of the chuunin exams.

"Hehe, up all night?" The bandaged Sound nin grinned, crouching low on the branch of his tree, "But it's no longer necessary. Wake up Sasuke. We want to fight him."

"Let's see if you can get through me first," Sakura said grimly, taking out her kunai as she waited for them.

She didn't have to wait long. They came to her, and she did her best to counter. They had the advantage in numbers, but she was being underestimated and she used that. There was also the handy little traps which she'd set that she would spring every once in a while to catch them off guard. And it was working.

What was it that Edward-sensei had said? Map, wait, strike.

He'd told her that her advantage was in intelligence. Normally in a battle between two ninja, one would not have enough time to observe their opponent. But with Sakura's intellectual capabilities, Edward-sensei had reasoned that she could potentially figure out someone's thought process and fighting style within minutes. That was enough time to stall without being killed in the process.

Edward-sensei had admitted that he'd never been a person with a small amount of chakra himself, but there had been times when he'd been running low, and besides that, he knew how to fight to conserve.

He'd explained that the key to medical combat was in the opportunity. Every fighting style had a weakness, and while sometimes that weakness could be nearly impossible to exploit, there was always that split second of chance. A medical ninja's job was to recognize that second before it happened and strike to end the battle.

She felt her vessels threaten to pop underneath all the pressure her heart was pumping through her veins, and her head felt woozy from adrenaline. But her mind felt clearer than it ever had, and the knowledge that it was now or never sent a dizzying thrill through her body.

She was both horrified and exhilarated.

Was this what Sasuke and Naruto always felt like? No wonder they liked fighting so much.

And there! She saw an opening!

She struck, aiming for where he would be rather than where he was, knowing that his reflexes were likely much better than hers. She was ecstatic when her blow landed, and with a cry of pain, the spiky haired Sound nin collapsed.

But he didn't have teammates just for show. They were waiting for the moment for their spiky haired teammate to get down so that they could strike without worry. Out of the corner of her eye she caught the female nin fire off a slew of senbon, but Sakura ignored it in favour of her trap.

She made a split second decision. She knew she was going to have a hard time catching the spiky haired ninja off guard again, and she was willing to shoulder some pain in able to take him out of the picture.

Hurriedly she activated the seal that she'd led him into. It was the same one that she'd learned that fateful mission in the Land of the Waves, but the Sound nin was not Fujiwara and he didn't emerge from the chains that suddenly suffocated him.

Sakura let out a cry as a slew of senbon from the girl hit her shoulder, causing her to stagger directly into the path of the bandaged boy. He spun a kick at her chest, but she wouldn't be taken down so easily!

Quickly she snapped her hands together in the most basic of seals, ignoring the throbbing of her arm. He reached her just as she switched out with a Replacement Jutsu, appearing directly behind the female Sound nin.

With a cry she leapt towards the Sound nin, who turned just in time to catch Sakura falling towards her with kunai high in hand. The Sound nin snarled and sent more splatterings of senbon, but Sakura ignored them all.

She didn't care what happened to her body, as long as she could protect Sasuke and Naruto!

She hit the Sound nin and sent both of them tumbling to the ground. But, she wasn't able to land a crippling hit with her kunai.

They grappled on the floor. Sakura was determined, and that fuelled her despite the fact that her body should have fallen long ago. But the fact of the matter was, her body was running out… of everything.

A moment of distraction was all it took. One moment Sakura was struggling with her kunai in hand and in the next, she was pinned down beneath the Sound nin with her weapon knocked out of her hand. Sakura gave a cry of dismay, but that only seemed to fuel the Sound nin further as she dealt a heavy blow to Sakura's face, putting up stars behind the pink haired girl's lids.

"You're not bad," the female ninja said snidely as she straddled the pink haired girl, one arm pressed harshly against her throat to prevent her from moving. "It almost makes me sad to dispose of another female—there are so few who are serious after all. But you're at a disadvantage. You're much too arrogant if you think you alone can take on the three of us."

"I—I won't give up," Sakura spat.

"There's determination, and then there's stupidity," the bandaged boy drawled. He looked at Sasuke, "Well, no matter. You don't have any say in what happens afterwards anyway. Goodbye."

He raised his arms, no doubt intending to do that deadly wind jutsu of his, when suddenly—

The female Sound nin suddenly dropped her weapons, her body straightening, and the bandaged ninja froze where he stood.

Sakura tensed, not knowing what was happening but knowing that this was her opportunity. She pushed her damaged limbs to the limit, jerking upwards to strike at the female ninja before she could regain her sense.

But the female ninja stopped her easily, smiling a familiar smile that should definitely not have been on her face.

"Really Forehead," the Sound nin said, her voice bemused, "is that any way to treat your saviour?"

Sakura stared, "I—Ino?"

It was then that Team Ten emerged from the bushes. Chouji was carrying the slackened form of Ino's body, which was always unresponsive whenever she was using her Mind Transfer jutsu. Shikamaru was in a weird stance, and with every step he took, the bandaged ninja took also. It was then that Sakura noticed the thin black shadow connecting the two of them.

"Sakura," Ino said with a grin, getting up off Sakura and offering her a hand, "I won't lose to you. I've already told you that. I won't let you be the only one who gets to look good in front of Sasuke."

Sakura could only blink back tears.

This all felt so unreal. She could not believe that Ino had come to her rescue like this.

But then again, why not? Ino always been Sakura's protector, and once again, Ino had showed when Sakura most needed her.

She swallowed. She knew she hadn't been fair to the blond kunoichi. Ino had been with her through thick and thin, and Sakura had given all that up for… what? A dream that was never meant to be anything?

She wasn't giving up on Sasuke, of course she wasn't, and she was never going to hand him over to Ino, but even she had to admit that breaking off their friendship as she did was a huge mistake on her part.

It'd come to her one day while she was training under Edward-sensei. She'd just suddenly remembered her former best friend and realized that the way that they were no longer fit into her life goals.

Tenten had showed her how a ninja could be serious, and Sakura had realized with an abject horror that she'd been terribly _not_ serious in the way she dealt with Ino.

She hadn't had the courage to go find Ino and apologize. Even when they'd first saw each other at the chuunin exam entrances, Sakura had held back, not wanting to get into such a long overdue conversation when they were about to be enemies once again. If she were honest, she had been scared.

But now that Ino had showed up—compromised her own safety to help a worthless friend—how could Sakura keep denying?

Sakura took the hand and allowed herself to be helped up, and she couldn't stop crying the whole time.

By then Shikamaru and Chouji had made their way over.

"Five minutes time limit is up," Shikamaru whispered to the form of the female Sound nin, to which Ino just nodded and took out a kunai.

She stepped to the side, away from the rest of the group, just as Shikamaru released whatever jutsu he'd used to hold the bandaged guy in place.

"Don't move!" Ino commanded, moving her kunai to her possessed body's throat, "If you do, I'll end this girl's life! If you don't want it to end here, then leave your scroll and get out of here! When I can't sense your chakra any longer I'll let her go!"

The bandaged nin only smirked, and suddenly Sakura got a very bad feeling about this.

A second later a blast of air forced Ino backwards, and Ino let out a cry as her back hit the tree behind her. Her head made a sickening crack against the hard wood, and then Ino made no more movements as her possessed body slumped to the floor.

The cries of her teammates were nearly drowned out in the laughter that followed by the man who'd done that to his own partner. Chouji nearly dropped her body as a big black ugly spot of blood appeared at the back of the blond's head, signalling to Sakura that yes, whatever damage her possessed body sustained, her true body did also.

Sakura could only stare in shock, not able to believe it. After she'd finally reunited with her best friend, when it seemed like things were finally going to be OK… it couldn't end like this!

"INO!"

But Ino gave no response, either in her captive body or her real one.

"She's… she's still breathing," Chouji said shakily. He looked to Shikamaru, his big eyes round and earnest, dependent. He looked lost.

Shikamaru wasn't faring much better.

"It—it wasn't," he muttered to himself, "I don't understand, how did it end up like this?"

Sakura turned her attentions to the bandaged Sound nin instead. Her face was a picture of righteous fury, her eyes filled to the brim with tears, "How—how could you? Your own teammate? You monster!"

The bandaged ninja just snorted, "Are you daft? Our goals are not the stupid scrolls or even to complete this exam. It's Sasuke-kun!"

Sakura swallowed. The man had just taken Ino away, and he thought he was getting Sasuke too? She wasn't going to let him!

"It's not," she said through clenched teeth, forcing herself up to an upright position, "going to happen."

"And who's going to stop me?" The Sound nin asked with a raised eyebrow. His voice was dripping with disdain, "A guy whose main technique can't be used again, a girl whose body's broke, and a big fatso freak… do you really think you can defeat me?"

Sakura opened her mouth to angrily retort, but Chouji beat her to it.

"WHO ARE YOU CALLING FAT!?"

There were tears in Chouji's eyes, and Sakura knew then that it wasn't really the fat comment which had gotten Chouji riled up. He was furious about Ino too.

Gently, the kind hearted Akimichi laid down Ino's body, and the next instant, Chouji had spread out his arms and then all of the sudden, he'd rolled himself up into some kind of gigantic ball. Sakura could only watch wide eyed as he went ploughing towards the bandaged Sound nin.

But instead of running, like every other sane ninja might have done, the bandaged ninja simply raised his arms.

He took a deep breath, and let out a blast of pressurized air.

Chouji suddenly swerved and went crashing into a nearby tree, sending up a spray of shrapnel. When the dust cleared, Chouji was revealed to be uncurled from his ball form and unconscious at the base of the trunk.

"NO!" Shikamaru screamed.

"It'll take more than that to get me," the bandaged ninja chuckled, only to freeze. His eyes widened, "What…?"

"You were wrong when you said I can't use that technique again," Shikamaru said, smiling grimly. A shadow extended from his feet, stopping the other nin's movements with his own. "NOW SAKURA!"

The bandaged nin's eyes widened as Shikamaru let him go at the last second possible, and he barely had time to look up before Sakura fell on him, pushing her body to the limits as she struck out where she knew it would hurt most. He didn't stand a chance.

His body crumpled beneath her, knocked out cold from the blow.

Sakura was atop him, breathing harshly. Her body tinged and protested with every movement, threatening to shut down. But it was nothing compared to what the others had suffered.

Turning her head, she allowed her eyes to skim the vicinity of the area. Sasuke and Naruto were still unconscious where she'd lain them, and Chouji had joined their state at the base of his tree. Ino was the worst of all. She wasn't just sleeping, she was—

Sakura choked.

They'd beaten Team Sound, but at what cost?

This didn't feel like a victory at all.

And then Naruto opened his eyes.

* * *

Square for stability, obviously, circle for flow. Should he add a star too? Nah, he didn't need that unpredictability. Strongest seals were blood seals, and to combat the three brackets, he needed a nine point seal. Okay, this could work. Nodding to himself, Naruto walked around, biting his thumb and drawing the details for his seal, making sure he didn't miss a single line. When he finished, he applied as much chakra as he dared, and took a few steps back as the makeshift seal flared and steadied.

The sound of light footsteps signalled somebody else's approach, and a moment later Sakura appeared at his shoulder, looking worriedly at his work. Or, more accurately, she was looking at the figure who was lying as still as death at the center of the seal he'd just made.

"Is she going to be okay?" Sakura whispered, her green eyes filled with sorrow as she gazed upon the fallen form of Ino, her one time best friend. Shikamaru raced to Ino's side, only pausing to give a nod of thanks to Naruto.

Naruto let out a breath, wishing he had better answers, "She's stabilized, but I wouldn't recommend moving her. I think we need to get Edward nii-san to have a look at her."

As soon as he'd awoken with a headache large enough to put down a Bijuu and confused about what exactly had happened, Sakura had been on him. She blabbered on about some things that Naruto didn't understand, but didn't stop because he liked her voice, until she said something about Ino being hurt.

Naruto had frozen over then. He'd hurriedly gotten up, demanding to know exactly what had happened _in relevance_ to Ino's injuries as he dashed towards her. Shikamaru and Chouji were there to and while he was confused about their presence he hadn't had time to question it.

Sakura explained as best she could, with Shikamaru adding a bit more. After years with Edward nii-san Naruto had picked up something about diagnosing and what he found about Ino's injuries weren't good.

He'd done the best he could with a seal that would stop any progression of further damage, but it wouldn't heal her. He felt pretty darn terrible.

"This is all my fault," Sakura said glumly. "If I were only better at medical jutsu…"

"You've only been training for a month!" Naruto quickly reassured, because while he was worried out of his mind about Ino he wasn't going to let Sakura take blame. "Look look, I've been studying for _years_ and I still haven't gotten the hang of it. Sasuke's better than me, but neither of us are qualified to help Ino."

"That's too right," Sasuke winced, coming up to join them. His hand was on his neck, where the sorta Grass nin had freakin' _bit_ him.

Naruto was sooo glad he wasn't an Uchiha right now.

Sasuke had awoken some time while Naruto was drawing up his seals around Ino. During the parts that didn't require intense concentration for Naruto, Sasuke had haltingly explained what had happened after Naruto had fainted.

Mainly, the sorta Grass nin had completely trounced him and left a mark to prove it.

"Now let's get working on that," Naruto declared, jerking a thumb at the ninja hickey.

Naruto had accurately guessed that it was a cursed seal, and from the way it was formed, he knew it had something to do with chakra control. That was only confirmed when he had Sasuke attempt to do a jutsu to disastrous consequences.

"Can you…" Sasuke gritted his teeth, "Remove it?"

Naruto shook his head, "It's really advanced stuff. Orochimaru knew what he was doing. Maybe a seals master might be able to remove it, but I'm far from a master. However… I can add something to it, and seal it off. It might be a little wonky though, since I'll have to make it up on the spot. Do you trust me with it?"

Sasuke snorted, shooting Naruto an annoyed look, "Do you see any other seals specialists around?"

Naruto huffed; he knew what that look meant. _Do you even need to ask_? Yeah, he shouldn't have. But he was really, really nervous about this. "Sakura, please move out of the way, I'll need a wide space for this. Sasuke, take off your shirt, I may need to er… draw some stuff on your body."

Sakura must have been really out of it, because she didn't so much as give one ogle to Sasuke's body. Not that there was much _to_ ogle at. Sasuke might have been a _teensy_ bit more well toned than Naruto, but he was still a pubescent boy!

"Alright…" Naruto said warily when he was done, "Try doing a jutsu now."

Sasuke shrugged his shirt back on, and used a sequence of familiar hand seals, "Fire Release: Giant Fireball."

A pool of flame erupted from Sasuke's mouth, warming Naruto's skin. Sasuke stopped the jutsu, and threw a smirk at the blond. Naruto couldn't help the grin that split his face; perfect! Man, he was so awesome!

"Alright," Sasuke breathed, "now that I can do jutsus again, I take it we can leave?"

"Well, we could have left anyway," Naruto said, sticking out his tongue. "I can totally take on anyone who tries to get us."

Sasuke rolled his eyes.

"We should stay," Sakura said hesitantly, glancing at Ino.

Naruto followed Sakura's gaze and his mood fell.

"We can't," Naruto replied grimly. "Look, we'd just put them in danger. What if the Sound nin aren't the only ones who've been contacted by Orochimaru to test Sasuke's abilities? We need to get out of here as soon as possible."

Sasuke grimaced, "I hate how this sounds like it's all because of me."

Naruto couldn't help but snort at that, "You wish. Sorry but it's because of Orochimaru-teme."

Sasuke still didn't look convinced, but the shaky smile he gave Naruto was promising. Naruto let it slide. Sasuke had a real bad tendency to try and shoulder everything himself, but that was something Sasuke also knew and had to deal with.

"Alright," Sakura said, "but let me just… say goodbye to Ino?"

Sasuke and Naruto exchanged a glance.

"Sakura," Naruto began hesitantly, "you know that Ino's not… she's not gonna die, ya know? I won't let it happen!"

Sakura smiled sadly, "I know, but I won't feel right unless I say something now. She's done so much for me and I'd rather say it to her than to myself."

Nodding at her teammates, Sakura rushed over to Ino's side. Shikamaru glanced up as the pink haired girl took a position beside him, and to give the two girls a moment, he rose.

He walked slowly over to Sasuke and Naruto, fiddling with something in his pockets. It became apparent a moment later when he took out a thick green roll—the object they had all been tasked with before the exam started. "Here, take our scroll."

Naruto opened his mouth to inform Shikamaru that they'd already gotten their scrolls when Sasuke kicked his shin and took the scroll from the Nara. Naruto let out a curse and glared.

Shikamaru let out a sigh, though there was a tinge of amusement in it that had not been present before, "Why is this even troublesome?"

Shaking his head, the dark haired Nara walked back to Ino and Chouji, but not before nodding to Sasuke who just nodded back.

"What's with the secret nod thing?" Naruto complained when Shikamaru was out of earshot. He didn't want to admit that he wasn't in the loop.

"Idiot," Sasuke muttered, shaking his head, "I don't get how anything manages to get through that thick skull of yours. Shikamaru knows that we already have the required scrolls, but he wants us to have theirs anyway."

Naruto's eyes alighted with understanding, "Ohh! It's because Team Ten can't go on, isn't it? So it's like they're passing on the torch!"

"You _would_ think of it like that," Sasuke snorted.

Sakura finished saying her goodbyes and they were on their way. Thankfully they weren't ambushed by any more crazy weird ninja on the way to the tower. They had almost a stupidly easy time of it.

It was also easy to solve the riddle that presented itself at the top of the tower and soon enough, they had Edward nii-san poof in to greet them.

"Hey," he grinned, only for his smile to falter slightly as he glanced sharply at Sasuke. "Okay guys, what happened?"

Team Seven exchanged glances and launched into a quick explanation, with Sasuke even tugging down his shirt collar to show Edward nii-san the twin seals that now adjourned his neck. Edward nii-san's smile had dropped completely by the end.

"We need to see the Hokage," he sighed.

"What about Ino?" Sakura asked worriedly, "Will you go see to her?"

Edward nii-san blinked, and then paused, looking as if he'd only just remembered Ino. Finally, he nodded, "Alright, I'll amend my statement. _You_ need to go see the Hokage."

Sakura's relief was nearly palpable, "Thank you."

But Edward wasn't done yet. He turned to Sasuke with a discerning eye, his expression serious, "Sasuke, you've been through an experience. You're sure you're alright?"

Sasuke smiled weakly, "I will be."

Some sort of message seemed to pass between the two of them and Edward nii-san nodded. "Alright, but Sasuke, Naruto, this isn't over alright?"

Long used to Edward nii-san's ways, the two boys nodded. They knew that Edward nii-san was going to check over their injuries himself after he finished up with Ino, and they were resigned to the fate. He could be seriously overprotective.

To be honest Naruto didn't mind. He was even actually really, really happy about it. He didn't like being poked and prodded and having medical jutsu performed on him, but it always made him feel warm and giddy to know that someone cared about him so much.

"Then off you guys go," Edward nii-san said, making a shooing gesture. "Go report to the Hokage and tell him everything that you told me, and then you can go home and rest. There's one more day left until the end of the exams and then you'll have to meet back here."

All Naruto really wanted to do was curl up in a ball and sleep right there, but he knew about the importance of village duty and how was he going to be Hokage if he didn't heed them? So he just nodded and followed Sasuke who was already halfway out the door.

Sakura lagged a little bit more but when Edward nii-san disappeared in a puddle of water she seemed to decide that he'd gone to see to Ino and that there was nothing more she could do. She obediently followed Sasuke and Naruto, moving like the living dead.

Naruto winced because he hated seeing her like that, but no amount of foolhardily would get her to cheer up. And besides, with all the events in the Forest of Death, he hardly felt like playing the fool at the moment.

It seemed that the Sandaime was expecting them, because nobody seemed surprised when Team Seven went in declaring that they had important news to tell. The Sandaime dismissed all the ninja he was meeting with and prompted Team Seven to his office, looking old and weary and not at all like the fun loving grandpa Naruto had grown up with.

They each gave their individual accounts. Sasuke was as stoic as ever in retelling Orochimaru's attack on him, but Naruto knew the other too well and for too long not to see the fact that he was leaving something out. The blond made a mental note to interrogate the Uchiha later, but he also knew that Sasuke would never keep something to himself that was potentially harmful to the village, so at the moment, Naruto let it slide.

Naruto was impressed by Sakura all over again when she explained her role after he and Sasuke were knocked out. He so knew he liked the right girl!

Things sobered up as they got to Ino's condition and what Naruto discovered about Sasuke. The Sandaime didn't really let anything slip, but Naruto had known the old man for ages and he could see the faint worry lines that were forming on his brow.

"Sasuke-teme's going to be OK, right?" Naruto couldn't help but ask, disquieted by the reaction.

"Yes yes, don't worry. You've done a wonderful job with your seal Naruto. As long as Sasuke doesn't consciously call on that power, then it shouldn't affect him."

They'd been shooed out immediately after. Naruto had wanted to stay to ask more questions about Orochimaru but Sasuke kicked him in the ankles and whispered that the Hokage needed to discuss top secret things with his ANBU. Well okay, Sasuke hadn't exactly phrased it like _that_, but Naruto thought that his interpretation was much more interesting.

Sasuke and Naruto planned on researching Orochimaru by themselves. Edward nii-san certainly had enough files on anything and everything, although Naruto blanched at the thought of going through them all.

They said goodbye to Sakura on the way, who was still looking morose with the events of the day. Naruto wished that he could cheer her up, but he'd tried everything already and he knew that the only thing left was for her to come to terms with what'd happened in her own time.

The two other members of Team Seven arrived home and flopped down on their respective beds immediately. The day had taken its toll with the near inhuman speed Naruto had pushed on them to get out of the forest and the events previous. They were out before their heads had even hit the pillows.

They only awoke to Edward nii-san shaking them, telling them that the official times for the second portion of the chuunin exams were over and they were expected to meet down at the tower.

Naruto could hardly believe it, because it meant that he'd slept for over fifteen hours and had completely forgotten to research Orochimaru! The only consolation was that Sasuke appeared much more annoyed by this fact than he was.

They were ushered to this big bad room where Jiji proceeded to give a huge speech about the purpose of the chuunin exams. Naruto couldn't help but tune it out, instead opting to check out who else had passed.

To his surprise, he only found two other teams in the room with him. One was the sand team with the creepy Gaara guy and the two more fun teammates. He favoured them with a grin which was aptly returned.

The only other team to make it was Kabuto's team. Naruto was kinda glad for it, because he did like Kabuto, except that Kabuto decided to forfeit and not participate in the next round.

Naruto could only stare in shock. He couldn't understand why the other nin would do something like that! But then he remembered Wave Country and Orochimaru and grimaced, conceding that maybe there was reason to not want to advance in rank and therefore danger. He'd never bow down to the fear himself, but he could see why somebody else would and he wasn't going to judge.

And then the semantics were finally done and they were finding out who they were going to be matched with for the third and final round of the exams.

Despite everything that'd gone wrong in the Forest of Death, Naruto couldn't help but grin as he saw the name that alighted next to his.

It was Kankuro. The sand puppet guy.

He was going to have a fun third portion.

* * *

A/n: As much, you know, I don't like things staying the same, I just don't see Orochimaru giving up on Sasuke's eyes. The chuunin exams is the perfect time to attack, so why wouldn't he? And if he were going to attack, then there would obviously be some differences in how it was executed, so this chapter had to be done. Minimal Ed this chapter, but the next is solely his!

End note: For everyone who reviewed, thank you. It probably got me to write this chapter when I did. The pleasant surprise of finding review alerts in my inbox months after I'd kinda forgotten about this fic has made me get off my ass about this and write another chapter.

Then again, this chapter felt soooo crappy. Would you guys prefer I update more often but have terrible chapters or wait for long periods and have better quality ones?

And Happy New Year.


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